How Love Should Be
by PrincessSerenity101
Summary: Usagi is happily engaged to Mamoru. They're labeled as the perfect couple, so what's wrong? Everything. Minako is a single mother who strives to take care of her children. What happens when someone wants to love her? Everything. How should love really be?
1. Chapter 1

How Love Should Be

_Summary: Usagi is happily engaged to Mamoru. They're labeled as the perfect couple, so what's wrong? Everything. Minako is a single mother who strives to take care of her children. What happens when someone wants to love her? Everything. How should love be?_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon._

Chapter One

_Out of everyone in Japan, there are only two women who knew what love really was. While love is said to be the best thing to experience, it can still be the worst. If one gets passed all the fairy tales with the happy endings, they would realize that sooner. Love has its highs and its lows. One moment, it can change your life; the next, you'll wonder what love really is. Whether you think love is a game or not, it's real and you'll feel the impact it has._

_Two half sisters know this to be true. Their names are Tsukino Usagi and Aino Minako. They both thought they figured out what love was as they grew up into the lovely women they are now. However, their one-sided view of love became their downfall. Minako – the oldest sister – thought she was ready for _it_, if you know what I mean. She did it out of love. Nine months later, she had twins. The man she loved ran away, saying he wasn't ready to be a father. Usagi – the youngest – fell deeply in love. Simple right? Well, she fell hard and had a difficult time getting back up. Does it sound simple now?_

_These two understand the other side of love. Usagi was cautious and wary when she attempted to find happiness for the second time. Minako gave up altogether. Was there really a person who would love her, despite the fact she had two – not one, but two – kids?_

_After high school, they had some good times, and they had some bad times. If you will, see how they realized how love should really be…_

* * *

Usagi sighed as she closed the door behind her. She slid down to the floor. She was exhausted. The sounds of young voices filled the house. Sounds of their little feet hit the floor with rhythm. Then, everything was silent for a few minutes. Usagi smiled and actually thought of sleeping on the floor for a moment. However, the footsteps got louder. The blonde shut her eyes as she was pulled to her feet.

"Thank you for watching them, Usagi! I swear I'll make it up to you!"

Usagi opened her eyes and found herself stuck in an embrace. She looked at the two mini Minakos beaming at her. She smiled at them while patting Minako on the back. This was what happened every other year. When Minako finally admitted she needed a little bit of help, she went to Usagi. Usagi gladly helped her sister out and took care of the twins. Days like these made her wonder if she would have a child someday.

"Don't worry about it, Minako," Usagi sighed as she stepped away from the other blonde. "You needed the day to yourself." Minako continued to thank her with a grateful smile. She then turned to the children. "Who wants ice cream?" she asked.

"I do, I do!"

Usagi giggled as she said her goodbyes and exited the house. A car was parked right a few feet away, waiting for her to get in. She did so with a sigh. The car drove down the street, making Usagi relax a little. She closed her eyes, tired from the day's events. Those two children wore her out. Hana and Yuriko were their names, having fun was their game. Labeled 'The Mystery Children' by Rei, they were your average four-year-olds that caused trouble. They did different things everyday – hence the nickname. They looked and acted like Minako. They blushed when they were shy, and they had scary presence when they were angry – at each other. They smiled nonstop when they were happy, too. It almost made Usagi giggle, knowing that they were truly Minako's kids.

"So, we're heading home?" the driver asked. Usagi nodded. "Then what?"

"I sleep."

"What about me?"

"What about you?"

The driver glanced at the blonde. She hadn't given him any attention at all. He drove her and those devils all around the place all day. He deserved a little something. "Usako, don't you think you owe me for driving you around?" Usagi opened her eyes and stared at her fiancé. "Mamo-chan, I don't want to. I just want to sleep." Mamoru remained silent. He never got anything in return when he helped Usagi. She only thanked him, and that was all. He needed something more than that. He was her fiancé! She could've done something special at least once.

The rest of the ride was silent. Usagi looked out the window and watched the scenery rush passed her eyes. It was like everything was a green and blue blur. Soon, her eyes closed again and she almost fell asleep. However, when the car finally came to a stop, Mamoru said something that made her stay wide-awake.

"You don't want to have angry sex, do you?"

* * *

"Usagi, are you okay?"

Usagi nodded as she looked at the ground. "Can I stay with you for a few hours?" she asked. "I know this is sudden, but…" She looked up when she felt hands on her shoulders. "It's alright, Usagi. You're always welcome. You know that." Usagi smiled. "Arigatou, Ami." The blue-haired woman smiled back and invited her inside.

Ami lived in a simple apartment. It always reminded Usagi of Makoto. She used to be the only one who lived in an apartment. Now, Ami lived in one. Hell, no one knew where the brunette was anymore. Usagi thought she might have moved. Of course, the others doubted that, but she knew they thought that that was what happened.

"Would you like anything?"

Usagi was silent for a moment. She followed Ami to the kitchen and sat in a chair. "Water please." She took a deep breath and let it out as she stared at the floor. She listened to the refrigerator open and close. "Did anything happen between you and Mamoru?" Ami asked.

"Yeah, but it's the usual."

Usagi lifted her head, finding her friend glaring at her. "How can you be so casual about this?" Usagi shrugged. She stretched a little before continuing. "He threatens me, and then I give him what he wants. That's how it works." Ami sat next to her as she gave the blonde her water. Usagi drank the cold liquid slowly and then stared at Ami. "Why do you let this happen? You deserve better than this," the blue-haired woman stated softly.

"I'm doing this for my family. This is something my father wants," Usagi answered. She sighed as she rubbed her neck. "I have to please him, even if it means enduring this for the rest of my life." She gained a disbelieving look from Ami, but she ignored it as she continued drinking the water. When the glass was empty, she set it on the table. "You know, Usagi, Minako told me stories of your father," Ami spoke. "She told me that he had a shotgun. Is there a reason for that?"

Usagi gulped. Minako wasn't supposed to tell anyone about that. That was supposed to be a family secret. That idiot could never keep her mouth shut. "It's to kill anyone who hurts you or Minako, ne?" Ami grinned as she tilted her head. Usagi glared at her friend. "Are you patronizing me?"

"If you know what that means…"

"Excuse me?!"

Usagi chased Ami around the apartment. The blue-haired genius was about to expand her vocabulary.

* * *

"Can I get these charms?"

"Of course."

"I want that one! I want that one!"

Minako sighed as Hana tugged at her hand and pointed at the lucky charm she wanted. Yuriko stuck close to her mother as she held her hand tightly. "Okay, I'll get that one, too, please."

"Of course."

Minako reached for her wallet in her pocket until she was stopped. "For you, it's free." Minako grinned at the woman. "Rei, your inner miko is showing." Rei smiled sweetly, staring at Minako with an innocent look as she tilted her head to the side. Minako guessed that that took years of practice. "If my 'inner miko' was showing, little Yuriko and Hana would have to live with Usagi for a very long time," she said. Yuriko inched closer towards Minako. Hana leaned against her mother. It was obvious that they had a little fear of Hino Rei.

"Well, thanks for the charms," Minako smiled. Rei shrugged. "I don't see why you need them. You can get anyone to…"

"That's what you always say," Minako interjected. "I'm still watching TV with my kids and eating ice cream almost everyday. I think I need the charms." Rei sighed and shrugged. With a wave, Minako left with Hana and Yuriko trailing behind her. "Wow, they didn't say a word to me," the miko muttered. "That was surprising."

"Actually, they're scared of you. That's not surprising. Your anger issues used to scare me. That sweet and innocent look freaks me the hell out."

Rei rolled her eyes. "Shut up and get to work."

* * *

Minako was hesitant to knock. The commotion she heard behind the door scared her. Thankfully, Hana did it for her. The girl fidgeted with excitement. She loved the sound of destruction. Yuriko squeezed her mother's hand. She hoped nothing was happening to Ami.

"Who's getting patronized now, Ami!?"

When no one answered the door, Hana decided to open it. "Hana!" Minako scolded. Hana ran in to find Ami lunging towards Usagi. They looked up and recomposed themselves. "Hi, Minako….what brings you here?" Usagi laughed nervously. "You wanted a lucky charm and Mamoru said you left and so I came here because you come here a lot…." Minako answered quietly. Ami and Usagi looked at each other. The blue-haired woman pushed her forward.

"Get your lucky charm."

Usagi groaned. "Don't say it like that. That makes me want the cereal." Hana giggled while Yuriko cracked a smile. They liked Lucky Charms. "Get your lucky charm, Usagi," Ami grinned, causing Usagi to glare at her. Minako stood there, wondering what happened to the old Ami. She never grinned back then. She was the innocent one of everyone. Now…she let Usagi get to her.

"Yeah…I'm going home now." Minako gave Usagi the charm and went on her way. With her kids following her, Ami and Usagi waved as they went out the door. When it was closed, they sighed. "Now that she thinks you've lost it and I'm weird, I think we should downplay these visits," Usagi suggested. Ami agreed.

The two began cleaning their mess. After thinking about it, Ami couldn't believe Usagi made her do that. Sure, she had fun, but this wasn't her. She had always been the levelheaded one. Rei and Makoto would be surprised to see her like this, just as Minako was. "Speaking of Makoto, where'd she go?" she wondered out loud. Usagi opened her mouth to speak, but she was interrupted.

"Knock, knock."

Usagi and Ami looked up to find Mamoru leaning on the doorframe with his hands on his hips. Usagi knew exactly what that meant: he thought something was going on. Wasn't this just wonderful?

"Leaving the door unlocked is careless, Ami-san," he sighed. The blonde walked up to him and whispered, "What are you doing here?" As he leaned toward her, he pulled her close. "I've always wondered why you aren't home around this time. I think I figured out why." Usagi turned to her friend with a fake smile, saying she would see her later. Ami nodded and watched the door close as the other two left. That smile Usagi gave made her worried. She hoped Mamoru didn't do anything to Usagi.

Usagi and Mamoru walked down the hall quickly. "Ami and I were just having fun," the woman said. "Nothing happened." Mamoru chuckled with a nod. "Good. Kenji-san would be upset if he found out something like that happened. We're together for a reason." Usagi remained silent for a moment. She hated it when he pointed that out. "Well, Mamo-chan, I love you and only you. Besides, why would I want to cheat on someone like you?" She leaned closer to him and grasped his hand tightly.

Mamoru grinned, knowing what that gesture meant: seconds. He loved this woman more as the days went by.

* * *

Minako sighed as she lied on the couch. She stared at the charm she had gotten from Rei. It had been a week, and she had had no luck at all. Hell, these charms never brought any luck to her. She felt so ripped off even though she didn't pay for it. She tossed it up in the air and caught it. She did it again. A smile stretched across her face after a while. She was having fun. Maybe this was the true purpose of the charm.

"Mama! Mama!"

Minako sat up to find Hana running towards her. "Yuriko's throwing stuff at me!" she shouted. "Hora! Hora!" She pointed to her forehead and arm. There was a small bump on her forehead and a huge one on her arm. "Hana, those are mosquito bites. Don't scratch them," Minako sighed. "And stop trying to get your sister in trouble." Suddenly, Yuriko came from nowhere and threw a crayon at Hana.

"See?"

"Yuriko, stop throwing crayons at your sister."

Yuriko ran away from the scene. She came back with a marker. Her mother only said to stop throwing crayons, so she went to the next best thing. However, before she had the chance to throw it, Minako blurted, "If throw that marker, Makoto-sama won't come back!"

Yuriko hesitated, giving Hana the chance to pounce. She pinned Yuriko to the floor, making her squirm around to get free. When that didn't help, she thrashed around violently, throwing Hana off of her. She threw the marker to the ground and lunged for her sister. Minako rushed towards them and picked Yuriko off the floor. The smaller blonde struggled to get free but gave up. Hana glared at her.

"Hana, go to your room," Minako ordered. "Don't come out until I say you can." The girl shook her head, deciding that she wasn't going to move an inch. "Go to your room now," Minako repeated, gaining a deadly look. Hana dismissed it because she always used that face. She stood up and walked to her room.

Minako set Yuriko on the floor. The girl was going to run, but Minako grabbed her arm. "Don't throw things at your sister. If you do it again, I'll make sure your next punishment is worse than sitting in your room." Yuriko tore herself from her mother's grip and ran to her room. Minako sat on the couch. She knew those two wouldn't fight anymore. Yuriko wouldn't have to guts to start anything, and Hana wouldn't have to fight back. It was simple.

Then, there was a knock on the door.

* * *

A tall woman knocked on the door and looked up at the sky for a moment. The sun had gone down, and the moon had taken its place in the sky. She then looked at the ground, noticing her sneakers were worn out. She'd have to buy new ones soon. Her jeans were shredded at her knees. Dirt covered some areas of the blue fabric. She hid a yawn behind her hand. All the walking she had done made her tired. Not to mention that fight she had had about an hour ago.

She knocked on the door again, wondering why no one was answering the door. She held her bag with a sigh and adjusted her baseball cap slightly. Putting her free hand in her pocket, she waited. Soon, the door finally opened. There was silence for a moment. The woman in front of her was beautiful, causing her jaw to drop. The woman covered her mouth. "Are you okay, miss?" she asked.

"What's with the 'miss,' Minako? I'm younger than you, remember?"

The tall woman took off her cap with a grin. "You can't tell me you forgot me already," she said. Minako gasped. "Makoto?" The brunette nodded, waiting for Minako to jump her. That was exactly what the blonde did. She hadn't seen her for almost a year. Makoto had just left, and no one seemed to know where she went. Now, Makoto was showing up out of nowhere. She had gotten slightly taller. Her hair was shorter – only inches passed her shoulders. Her bangs almost overshadowed her eyes. She definitely looked as strong as she was. There was no physical trace of the old Makoto.

Pulling her inside, Minako put her hands on Makoto's shoulders. "What happened to you?" she asked frantically. "You look like you had a fight!" Makoto laughed as she rubbed her neck. "I did. But don't worry, I won." Minako shook her head. She hated how Makoto thought of this as no big deal. It was never a big deal to her. "Um, Minako, you wouldn't mind if I stayed here for the night, would you?" Makoto asked slowly. "My place is kind of far so…" Minako nodded as the other woman trailed off. "Of course you can."

Makoto smiled a goofy smile. "I owe you one, Minako." The blonde dismissed it with a wave of her hand. Makoto kissed her cheek. "Out of all the others, I liked you the best, you know that?" she said. Minako blushed as she looked down at the floor. "T-thanks, I guess." There was silence for a few minutes. Minako turned away from her tall friend. Biting her lip, she tried to figure out what to say.

"You can go take a shower," she began. "I can wash your clothes for you." Minako squealed when she felt herself lifted off the floor. "Thank you, Minako, you're the best!" Makoto exclaimed. Suddenly, rapid footsteps were heard. Whispers of excitement filled the air. As Makoto set Minako on the floor, the brunette saw two little girls jump on the couch. Before she knew it, they leaped towards her. One had her arms wrapped around Makoto's neck while the other had slid down to her leg.

"Makoto-sama! Makoto-sama!"

Minako rolled her eyes at the honorific. It was always 'Makoto-sama' this and 'Makoto-sama' that. When would she be called 'Minako-sama?'

Makoto laughed as she put her hands on her hips. "Yuriko, Hana, what are you doing here?" she asked. "We live here, silly," Yuriko, the one holding on to her leg, giggled. Makoto slapped her forehead. "I completely forgot. Forgive me?"

"Of course, Makoto-sama!" Hana yelled in her ear. Makoto shut her eyes tight. Hana was definitely louder than before. "Yuriko, Hana, who said you could leave your room?" Minako asked. Both girls stared at her. Then, they glared at each other. Their feelings were suddenly rekindled. Makoto placed Hana on the floor and watched the two run to their room. Makoto sighed, wondering what had happened to them. However, she decided it was best not to ask.

As the brunette walked towards the bathroom, Minako smiled, definitely feeling lucky. She would have to thank Rei for the charm.

* * *

Rei heard heavy breathing outside of her room. She opened her door and looked around, wondering where the sound was coming from. Soon, she saw Usagi running towards her with tears streaming down her face. Her arms were instantly wrapped around the miko's neck. "Usagi, doushita no?" she asked.

"I hate this, Rei. I really do."

Rei tore herself from the blonde. "Hate what?" The blonde didn't answer. Instead, she pressed her lips against the miko's and let every rational thought disappear.

--End Chapter One--

_Hora-look_

_Doushita no-what's wrong_

_Suddenly, I felt like making another fic, even though I still have a few in progress. Please review. Til next time_

_Serenity101_


	2. Chapter 2

How Love Should Be

_Summary: Usagi is happily engaged to Mamoru. They're labeled as the perfect couple, so what's wrong? Everything. Minako is a single mother who strives to take care of her children. What happens when someone wants to love her? Everything. How should love really be?_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon._

Chapter Two

The sound of the TV filled the air. It wasn't loud enough to provoke children to create their usual mischief, but it was loud enough to make someone wonder who was up at this hour. Minako checked the clock. Seven-thirteen. She sighed, not wanting to get up just yet. Rubbing her eyes, she sat up and let her feet touch the floor. Leaving her room, she walked towards the living room. "Hana, Yuriko, back to…"

Minako stopped in the middle of her sentence. Makoto was sitting on the floor. She had a spoon in her mouth and a bowl full of cereal in her left hand. They stared into each others eyes for a moment. The blonde walked back down the hall, leaving Makoto confused. She slowly turned her head back to the TV, hearing the sound of water running from the bathroom. After a little while, the sound disappeared. Minutes later, Minako entered the living room. "I am neither Hana or Yuriko," Makoto clarified. "They would never dare to get up this early."

Minako sat on the couch as she apologized. "When they're not fighting, they watch TV…hey, why are _you_ up then?" she asked. The brunette shrugged. "Habit, I guess. I wake up earlier than this, but since I was here, I got more sleep." Minako nodded slowly, knowing the only person who would wake up really early was Rei. Makoto had definitely changed.

"So, where have you been all this time?" the blonde asked. "You just…disappeared." Makoto started laughing nervously. "You see, I actually moved out of my apartment…permanently…"

* * *

"Get out."

Usagi stared at Rei as though she didn't hear a word the miko had said. She sat up with a yawn, not realizing the situation just yet. "Get out, Usagi!" Rei shouted. "I haven't seen you in weeks and when I finally do, you sleep me? What the hell is that all about?!" Usagi finally became alert and slapped her forehead. She mumbled things to herself, completely ignoring Rei. "Usagi, I said get out!"

"What the hell do you want first!? Do you want me to leave or give you an answer!?"

Rei blinked in surprise. Usagi never raised her voice like that. She used to pout; now, she glared at her. Rei had no idea what caused this sudden change, but she didn't want to find out. "Tell me why you did this." Usagi sighed as she looked for her clothes. "I don't know. I came to you when I shouldn't have," she shrugged. "This wouldn't have happened with Ami." Rei watched her put on her clothes. Since when did she confide in Ami? When something happened, Usagi went to the miko. She didn't even tell Minako anything. She kept everything a secret until Rei knew what the secrets were. What caused Usagi to change so drastically?

"Ami, did you see Mamoru yet?"

Rei noticed Usagi using her cell phone. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. "Okay, I'm coming over right now." Usagi hung up and put the cell phone on the bed and left the room in a hurry. Rei sighed. No thank you for using the cell phone. Not even a quiet goodbye. She couldn't wait until she saw Makoto. There would be plenty to talk about.

* * *

Minako slapped Makoto upside the head. Makoto winced and rubbed her head. "What was that for?" she asked. "You moved out of your apartment, Makoto!" Minako shouted. "Where the hell have you been? On the streets?" The brunette shook her head rapidly. "No, no, no. I've been staying with Rei most of the time." Minako was silent, thinking back to when she was at the jinja last week. Eventually, she gasped in realization. "You mean you saw me last week?"

"I see you whenever you get a charm."

Minako's jaw dropped. She felt so stupid. She had so many chances to see Makoto before the twins' birthday. "Why were you hiding from all of us?" Makoto chuckled as she shook her head. "I didn't hide. I wasn't at the jinja the whole time. I went to different places and stayed there for two weeks or more."

Minako nodded slowly. Makoto was definitely busy after high school. She probably went to places like Shibuya or Ginza. She mentally shrugged, figuring it was kind of irrelevant now. "What made you move in with Rei?" she asked. "I don't know. One day, I just felt something needed to change," Makoto answered. "And I still have that feeling." She grinned, making Minako blush. The brunette leaned against her leg and continued eating her cereal. Minako tensed up. What exactly was that grin for? What was it supposed to mean? Makoto never grinned unless she was hiding something or joking around. Maybe her physical appearance wasn't the only thing that changed while she was away.

"Makoto-sama! Makoto-sama!"

Before Makoto had the chance to look, she felt arms around her neck and saw a child in front of her. She smiled, "Ohayo, Yuriko, Hana." The twins beamed at her. "I thought you said they wouldn't dare getting up this early," Minako quipped. Makoto laughed. "They're hyperactive children. I don't know when they get up in the morning." Minako giggled. Makoto had a point.

* * *

Usagi sighed as she sat down and put her head down on the table. Ami rubbed her back as if to comfort her. Usagi closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Why did I do that, Ami?" she said with one breath. "I had sex with Hino Rei. It was so completely random, too!" Ami's eyes widened. Usagi had told her she cheated on Mamoru but not this. Was Usagi insane? It was one thing to cheat but having sex with a friend to begin the cheating was another story. She wondered how the upset woman would deal with this.

Usagi groaned. She hated this. How did she get herself into this mess? What was going through her mind when she decided she had to go to Rei? The raven-haired woman probably hated her now. They hadn't seen each other in two or three weeks. There was no such thing as having sex after a long period of time _with a friend_. No one did that…until now. If Mamoru ever found out…

Suddenly, Usagi gasped. "He can't find out! If he does…" She began pacing around the kitchen with Ami watching her. The genius was worried for her friend. When there was a knock on the door, Usagi jumped. Ami put her hands on her shoulders with a sigh. "Act natural," she whispered. "Nothing will happen, okay?" Usagi nodded as she took a deep breath. The knocking persisted. Ami smiled a little and went to answer the door. It was none other than Mamoru.

"Ohayo, Ami-san," he smiled. "Is Usagi with you?" Ami nodded. "Then may I ask why?" Ami bit her lip as she looked into Mamoru's eyes. He waited for an answer. It was obvious that whatever came out of her mouth was going to be considered a lie. "Well, Usagi wanted to plan a party for Hana and Yuriko since their birthday is coming up," Ami answered. Mamoru nodded, saying he understood. "Then that means they're turning…five, ne?" he asked. Ami nodded. She was surprised he remembered their age. He seemed like he never really cared. "Then where will this party be held?" Ami blinked. What was this, an interrogation?

"Well, we want this to be at the Hikawa Jinja since it's _always_ held in Minako's backyard."

Inside the kitchen, Usagi cursed Ami. The last place she needed to go to was the Hikawa Jinja. Ami would pay dearly for this. "Good idea," she heard Mamoru say. "I'll be looking forward to this." She sighed and walked to the door. She put on a smile as she greeted Mamoru. She gave him a kiss and grasped his hand in hers. "Thanks for letting me stay over, Ami," she said. She and Mamoru left down the hall.

Mamoru grinned as he stared at Usagi. "You haven't been to the jinja in a while, have you?" Usagi shook her head. "Then, I guess we can give our favorite miko a surprise visit." The woman mentally groaned. Why was she going back to the place she had to get away from? Now this would be awkward. She was would definitely let the secret slip sooner than intended.

* * *

Hana and Yuriko stared at Makoto with awe. The story the brunette was telling them was the fight she got into the day before. This story just happened to include Haruka. The woman had seen her for the first time in a while. The blonde had grown angry because Makoto didn't say she was leaving at all. The fight ensued and after a while, she gave up. That had become a very happy moment for Makoto. Beating Haruka at _something_ was all she wanted out of life.

Minako mentally noted that every detail of Makoto's life was interesting in some way. For once, she wasn't even involved in it. She couldn't tell if that was a good thing or not.

Hana practically trembled with excitement. Makoto was so awesome! She was like the unbeatable boss of the last level of a game. Nothing could hurt her or even touch her! Yuriko thought the same thing. She put her small arms around the woman's arm and squeezed it tight. "Kakkoi!" she exclaimed. Makoto grinned at her, as if to agree. However, she never had a chance to react to Minako's next action. The blonde had glomped her from behind. "Oh, Makoto-sama, you're just so cool! Daisuki yo!"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Minako shrugged with a grin. She loved toying with Makoto's mind. "Nothing, nothing," she replied. She stood up and left the room, saying she would take a shower. After she was out of sight, Makoto turned her attention to Hana and Yuriko. "Ne, ne, is there anyone your mama likes?" she whispered. The twins went into deep thought. When thinking became too much for their brains, they shook their head. They then huddled together. They whispered amongst themselves while Makoto watched. They turned back to her and put their hands on their small hips.

"Naze?"

Makoto blinked in surprise. They looked ready to kill. No wonder Rei called them 'The Mystery Children.' They seemed so sweet and innocent. What happened behind the scenes? Makoto shrugged and ran her hands through her long bangs. "Grown-up stuff."

"What kind of grown-up stuff?"

"Stuff that little girls don't have to worry about."

Erasing the tension in the atmosphere by tickling both girls, Makoto put on an evil grin. This was just perfect. It would be like old times. Everything would go as planned. History would make things they way it should have been before. For once in her life, she had won. She had acquired the victory.

Suddenly, a faint sound was heard. Makoto stopped her actions for a moment. Her cell phone was ringing. She stood to her feet and let the living room. Hana started rubbing the mosquito bites on her forehead and her arm. "I bet Makoto-sama doesn't get mosquito bites," she grumbled. Yuriko snickered at her sister. She was ignored, so she continued. Soon, Makoto came back with all of her stuff.

"Where are you going?" Hana asked. Makoto explained that she had to go. The girls frowned and tried to persuade her to stay. When words couldn't help, they began using their trademark innocent face. It made Makoto groan with guilt and give up. "Fine, I'll stay until your mama gets out the shower." Yuriko and Hana jumped for joy. It was always easy to persuade Makoto.

* * *

Rei sighed as she lied on the floor. She was reading an actual novel rather than the preferred manga. In her mind, she was doing this because she wanted to relax before starting her daily routine. However, the real reason was because she refused to touch the bed. She and Usagi had sex there. Usagi pleasured her there. She was guilty about it. Usagi had Mamoru. They were to be married when Usagi actually let Mamoru pick a date. This wasn't supposed to happen.

"She always gets me dragged into something," she grumbled to herself. "She's lucky she's my friend, otherwise…" She continued to mutter things until she heard the door open.

"Why are you on the floor?"

Rei rolled her over on her stomach and looked towards the door. She stared at the person at the door and sighed. "Well, if it isn't Usagi trying to sleep with me yet again." Usagi put a finger to her lip and closed the door. "Not so loud, Rei. Mamoru's outside," she stated. Rei grinned. "So, you're trying to get a quickie, huh? What a minx."

"No, Rei, that's not why I'm here," Usagi said. "I just want to apologize. I know you probably hate me, but I want to know if you can forgive me for last night." Rei's grin disappeared as she stared at the woman curiously. She tilted her head slightly. "Problem number one," she stated softly. She motioned Usagi to come closer. The blonde did so. "You're an idiot!" Rei exclaimed. Usagi jumped back. "Excuse me?"

"That's the first problem with you," the raven-haired woman stated. "The second problem: you assume things. I don't hate you. You just irritate me." Usagi sighed and frowned. Coming from Rei, hate and irritate meant the same thing. She was right about Rei hating her. "Usagi, when you said you hated something, what did you mean?" Usagi blinked for moment. The words processed in her head. Then, she panicked. She covered Rei mouth and moved closer to her. "I can't tell you," she whispered in her ear. "He might be listening."

Rei stared at her friend as she backed away. What exactly did that mean? Did this have to do with Mamoru? "Usagi…"

"Keep your voice down," Usagi whispered. "It'll happen again." Rei really didn't get what that meant. She gazed into Usagi's azure orbs. She had noticed the desperation in the woman's voice. She noticed the hint of fear in her eyes. There was something seriously wrong.

Suddenly, the door slip open. Rei looked up, and Usagi turned around. Mamoru had a confused expression on his face. "Why are you on the floor?" Usagi stood up with a sheepish smile. For once, what she was about to tell him wasn't a lie. "You remember when I told you about Rei's _habits_?" she asked. Mamoru nodded. Rei glared at the other woman. Usagi had told _him_ about her habits? That felt like her private life was being invaded! She bit her lip to keep herself from yelling at Usagi. Her inner miko was about to show.

"Well, reading while lying on the floor is one of them," Usagi concluded. Mamoru nodded slowly. Rei was definitely weird. "Well, if you don't mind, can we buy a charm?" he asked as she looked at Rei. "Five hundred eighty yen each," she sighed. "You know where I keep them, Usagi. Knock yourself out." Usagi's jaw dropped. "That much for one charm?"

"_You_ came to _me_ when I'm not a miko."

Usagi groaned as she reached into her pocket. Rei grinned. She loved it when she got her way.

* * *

Makoto got her things together and put on her shoes. She was about to open the door when she felt Hana and Yuriko cling to her legs. "Makoto-sama, you're coming back again, right?" Yuriko asked. "Hai," Makoto smiled. "Because I saw you, I don't have reason to leave again." Yuriko smiled. Hana frowned and asked, "What about me?" Makoto laughed as she picked up the four-year-old. "When I saw you, I knew I couldn't leave," she said. Hana smiled. She loved that answer. Makoto put her down and sighed. Her eyes turned to Minako. "Thanks for letting me stay," she began. "I really appreciate it." Minako nodded. She told both girls to let Makoto leave and that they would see her soon.

"Ja ne."

Makoto left the house with a smile. She definite knew she couldn't leave now. She didn't even want to. It was time for things to change.

She began walking down the street. Everything was normal. Nothing out of the ordinary happened. When she got to the end of the street and turned the corner, she saw the unexpected. A blue car was driving down the street. She recognized the driver right away. She stopped in her tracks. The car practically came to a screeching halt. The driver came out of the car and gasped.

"Makoto?"

Makoto smiled a little. "Is that my little Ami-chan?" Ami ran towards the brunette and embraced her. "Makoto, I missed so much!" the woman said. Makoto chuckled and squeezed her tight. "Yeah, love, I know." Makoto stopped smiling and stared at the ground. "I missed you, too."

* * *

Usagi frowned as she sat in the car. Mamoru drove off immediately and glanced at Usagi. "What did you talk to Rei about just now?" he asked. "The damn price for one charm!" Usagi shouted. "Minako gets them for free. Not even schoolgirls pay that much!" Mamoru shrugged. "Was Rei like that before?" Usagi shook her head. Rei always gave _her_ charms for free. Everyone else paid for them unless there was a special occasion. Now, it was the other way around. "Cheap bitch," she muttered.

Mamoru chuckled as he shook he head. "Come on, Usako, she doesn't mean to be that way." Usagi crossed her arms. He said that as if he knew her since she was a kid. Everything he learned about Rei came from Usagi. He made no attempt to talk with the miko. She mentally shrugged. That was Mamoru just being Mamoru.

"Well, Usako, I'm sure those charms really do work if Rei charged that much," he continued. "So, when we get home, we'll watch a movie and do whatever you want." A smile slowly stretched across Usagi's face. "Whatever I want?" she asked. "Hai." Usagi grinned. This definitely wouldn't have anything to with sex.

"Okay then. I just need to get something from Minako's house," she stated. "I think I left my cell phone there." Mamoru nodded. The rest of the ride was silent. Usagi closed her eyes. After a while, Mamoru stopped. "Is that Makoto?" Usagi opened her eyes immediately. A blue car was in front of them. Ami and Makoto entered it quickly. Usagi's jaw dropped. As the car drove off, she ordered, "Follow them. We'll come back for the cell phone."

Mamoru grinned. He was becoming giddy. He loved the way Usagi told him to do something when she became interested in something. Something great was bound to happen.

* * *

"So, Makoto, where exactly have you been?"

"I've been living with Rei for…four years, I think. I moved out of my apartment because I went to different places and didn't come back for weeks. A month at maximum."

Ami gripped the steering wheel tightly. "You could have come to me," she said softly. "I know, but Rei doesn't care if I leave and come back a month later," Makoto explained. "She just lets me do what I need to do by myself."

"And what are you trying to do?"

"I'm trying to get my life back together."

Makoto and Ami stared at each other briefly. Makoto rubbed her neck. "You're mad at me, huh?" she asked. Ami cracked a small smile. "Iie. It just irritates me to know you didn't come to me first." Makoto groaned and covered her face with her hands. "That's Rei word for 'hate.'" Ami laughed as she turned a corner. It was always proven that certain words that came from Rei's mouth meant 'hate' in some way.

"It doesn't matter anymore, Makoto," Ami stated. "Now that you're here, we can just pick up where we left off, ne?"

"Hai."

Makoto gave the blue-haired genius a peck on the cheek, which made her smile. It was then that Makoto realized just how screwed she was.

--End Chapter Two--

_580 yen - about 5 U.S. dollars_

_Daisuki yo - I love you_

_Shibuya and Ginza - shopping districts. I know Ginza is in Tokyo but I forget where Shibuya is…_

_So how about that? I finally updated something! I would have gotten this in sooner but the parental unit and the sibling unit hindered my plans. Damn it! Anyway, who's surprised by the sudden Ami/Makoto pairing? I know I am! It was a last minute thing to make things interesting before proofreading. But if you think this is surprising, you ain't seen nothin yet! Til next time_

_Serenity101_


	3. Chapter 3

How Love Should Be

_Summary: Usagi is happily engaged to Mamoru. They're labeled as the perfect couple, so what's wrong? Everything. Minako is a single mother who strives to take care of her children. What happens when someone wants to love her? Everything. How should really love be?_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon._

Chapter Three

"Hayaku, Mamo-chan!"

"But the elevator's faster."

"Just skip every three steps!"

Usagi ran up the stairs to the third floor as fast as she could. Mamoru wondered how she could do such a thing so quickly. The blonde had been late for school so many times, running up stairs was like second nature. Of course, Mamoru wouldn't know that. He didn't meet Usagi until she was in high school. On top of that, he didn't even go to her school.

In a matter of minutes, Usagi got to the third floor. Mamoru leaned against the wall when he caught up. She began knocking on the door. "What if it wasn't Makoto?" Mamoru asked. "I mean, she looked different." Usagi glared at him. 'Yup, she's hell bent on this,' he thought with a sigh. "Come on, Mamo-chan. You know that was her. She's almost as tall as you," the blonde reminded him. "The rest of us are like midgets compared to the two of you." Mamoru laughed stupidly to himself. She had a point.

Finally, the door opened. "Where is she?" Usagi asked venomously. "Where's who?" Ami asked. Usagi narrowed her eyes. "Don't play dumb with me. I know you're hiding her."

"Um, Usagi, I'm right here."

Usagi poked her head inside to find Makoto on the couch. Usagi squealed in delight as she ran in the apartment and embraced the brunette. Her legs were on either side of Makoto and the brunette's head was in between her friend's breasts. The questionable position they were in made Makoto wonder if Usagi even noticed how uncomfortable she was. Awkwardly, she gave Usagi a few pats on the back.

Mamoru leaned against the doorframe. He glanced at Ami for a moment and almost laughed. "She ruined it, didn't she?" he said. "We could made it to the bedroom," the woman muttered. Mamoru laughed and shook his head. Leave it Usagi to ruin the most intimate moments without realizing it.

"Makoto, where the hell have you been!?" Usagi exclaimed as she jumped off the couch. "Don't you think we all had a right to know where you went?" Makoto sighed. She really hated repeating herself. "I was with Rei eighty-five percent of the time," she answered. Usagi asked her to repeat what she said. The brunette groaned as she put her hands on Usagi's shoulders. "I was with Rei eighty-five percent of the time, Usagi. What part of that don't you understand?"

"The Rei part!" Usagi shouted. "You've been living with her this whole time? How come we didn't see you before?" Makoto sighed, "I wasn't there the other fifteen percent." Usagi nodded slowly to show she understood. "Besides, none of you are ever there," Makoto pointed out. "The only ones who I ever see are Minako, Hana, and Yuriko. You never even bother to say 'hi' to Rei."

Usagi and Ami frowned a little. That was true. Even though Usagi had seen her earlier, she never really thought of just seeing Rei for the hell of it at all. There were times when both women were free. They could have gone to the jinja. "Yeah, feel guilty," Makoto said. "She does her habits more often because of you guys."

"You don't have to rub it in," Ami muttered. Makoto nodded with a sigh. She opened her mouth, but she wasn't able to say a word. Her cell phone rang, reminding her that she was supposed to be somewhere else. She dug into her pocket as she swore under her breath. Just as she was about to take it out, the ringing stopped. She gulped as she raised the phone in front of her face. The phone had died.

She swore loudly as she stood to her feet. She raced out the apartment building as if her life depended on it. The remaining three stared at each other. They wondered what that was about.

* * *

The sound of the door opening made Rei alert. She rolled on her stomach and saw a panting Makoto on the floor. "What do you want?" the brunette asked. "Where the hell were you? I had to call you twice!"

"I'll tell you later. What do you want from me?"

Rei sighed as she propped her head on her hand. "What would you do if your best friend suddenly decided to sleep with you?"

"Does the best friend like you?"

"As a friend, yeah."

Makoto shrugged when she looked up. "I don't know. Depends on the friend. Why?" Rei told her what happened on that night. Makoto looked indifferent, but she grinned moments later. "She likes you, Rei," she stated. Rei rolled her eyes. That statement made her feel like she was in high school again. So, she didn't even tell Makoto she was wrong. Instead, she decided to turn the tables.

"The same way Minako likes you?"

Makoto blinked at her friend's words. "What?" Rei laughed as she lied on her back. "She likes you. Did you forget that?" she asked. Makoto sighed as she rubbed her neck. It was true Minako did like her back then. At times, it was too obvious. However, it was different now, especially since Minako had Hana and Yuriko to take care of. She couldn't have had have those feelings now.

"She doesn't anymore."

Rei stared the brunette. She wasn't sure if Makoto was trying to deny it or saying what she thought. She smiled as she put her hand on Makoto's. "I'm sure she does," she said softly. "There's nothing stopping you from finding out anyway." Makoto sighed with frustration. "Um, actually there is," she admitted. Rei sat up immediately. She had a faint idea of what the reason was.

"It's her, isn't it?"

"Hai."

"You didn't break up with her?"

"Iie."

Silence was dominant as violet met emerald. Rei couldn't believe this. Makoto just made everything harder for herself. If she was still with Ami, where did Minako fit in? Minako looked miserable because she didn't have anyone that could take care of _her_, even if it were for a day. Ami seemed alright by herself. She fulfilled her dream of becoming a doctor. She probably would have preferred Makoto being by her side during that time, but she still managed by herself. So, who needed Makoto more?

"Come on, Makoto, we have work to do."

* * *

Usagi knocked on the door. After seeing Makoto run out of Ami's apartment, she went back to Minako's house. She still needed her cell phone. As usual, Mamoru was waiting in the car. She glanced at him for a second until the door opened, which made her alert. Minako suddenly grabbed her hand. "Hey, Usagi, good timing!" Usagi wondered why Minako was so enthusiastic. The blonde was sat down on the couch. Hana and Yuriko sat in front of her. Big smiles were plastered on their faces.

"Minako…"

"Okay, you're the only one that can do a tongue twister, Usagi. The three of us have been trying for fifteen minutes and we still can't do it.

"Minako, it takes more than just fifteen minutes."

"But you have a natural talent! You've been doing this since you were born!"

Usagi sighed. She didn't understand why they were so enthusiastic about _tongue twisters_. Maybe it was just that she had gotten over the subject. She shrugged and took a deep breath. Minako, Hana, and Yuriko leaned closer.

"_Sumomo mo momo, momo mo momo, sumomo mo momo mo momo no uchi_."

Hana and Yuriko gasped. "Sugoi!"

"Minako, I need to get my phone."

"Do another! Do another!"

"But…"

"No tongue twister, no phone."

Usagi sighed. She really hated it when Minako got her way.

"_Koshou shoushou, shio shoushou, shouyu shoushou_."

Hana and Yuriko cheered in delight. Usagi sighed as she stood up. Minako kissed her cheek and thanked her for entertaining Hana and Yuriko. Usagi gave her a small smile and began her search for her cell phone. "If I remember correctly, I was helping Minako with something so…" she muttered to herself. She entered Minako's room and looked on the dresser. She grinned with satisfaction when she found it. Then, it rang.

Meanwhile, Minako, Hana, and Yuriko were trying more tongue twisters. Of course, they were failing miserably. "Usagi gets all the cool talents," Minako groaned. "Would that make Usagi a better mom?" Hana and Yuriko looked at each other while the blonde waited for answer. Their smiles reappeared. They embraced their mother. "I'll take that as a 'no,'" Minako laughed. Then, the phone rang.

* * *

"Hey, Usagi. Meet me at Juuban Middle School at five. You don't mind going there, do you?"

* * *

"Minako, if you're free later, meet me at Juuban High School at six. I really need to know something…you can tell me anything, right?

* * *

Usagi stared at her cell phone. She wondered why Rei wanted to meet her at Juuban Middle School. She hadn't been there since she went to high school. This worried her. Going to a place that she once wanted to get away wasn't such a good thing. Sighing, she leaned her head against the window. Rei was probably going to talk about that night again.

"Usako?"

The blonde grunted in response.

"Is there something wrong?"

She shook her head and yawned. When she got home, she would sleep. If there was time left when she woke up, she would spend time with Mamoru. Then she would go to Rei.

* * *

Minako lied in her bed, wondering why Makoto wanted to meet her at Juuban High School. She didn't think she would have to go back to that place. There were bad memories there. The first year of high school was as normal as it could possibly get, but The second year was disastrous! The end of the last year…horrible! She was way too young when she had Hana and Yuriko. Then, Makoto suddenly left, and they weren't exactly on good terms. She seriously didn't want to go to that place.

"Mama, mama!"

Minako didn't have the chance to look at the door. Hana and Yuriko jumped on the bed and bounced up and down, being carefully not to jump on their mother. "Are you tired?" Yuriko asked. Minako nodded. She noticed that Yuriko was also a little tired, despite the fact she still had energy left. Yuriko decided to stop jumping and snuggled next to Minako. Hana stopped jumped as well. Minako smiled when Hana grabbed the fabric of her shirt just to fall asleep. She closed her eyes and sighed. When she woke up, she would make lunch for the twins. Then, Usagi would baby-sit them while she would go to Makoto.

* * *

"Thank you for coming, Ami. I really needed to talk to you."

Ami smiled and said it was nothing. Rei smiled back as she leaned on the wall. She was just outside of her bedroom. Ami noted how something wasn't right. She couldn't tell was off about this, but she just knew something was wrong. She guessed that it was Rei's smile. Innocently, Rei asked, "You talk to Usagi a lot, don't you?" Ami nodded. "What exactly has she told you?"

"That's none of your business, Rei."

Rei almost laughed at her friend's response. She wasn't going to give up. "Does she ever talk about Mamoru?" Ami remained silent. If Rei was going to insist on asking these questions, she wouldn't deny anything. It's not like she could anyway. "If she went to you about something, it would mainly be for injuries, ne?" Damn. It was like Rei was playing with her. She was getting all of the information she wanted! "Is Mamoru hurting her in some way?" Ami looked at the ground. Usagi was going to kill her for this later. Rei suddenly grew serious. "Does Minako know about this?"

"No."

Ami then stared into Rei's eyes. She pleaded Rei not to tell Usagi about their discussion. She expected Rei to sigh and say she wouldn't, but she did the exact opposite. "I got the information I needed for a reason, Ami," she stated. "Trust me, she won't blame you. She knows how well I can persuade others." Rei grinned when she said that. The blue-haired genius knew why. It didn't fifty Usagis to figure that out.

"Where's Makoto?" Ami asked. Rei shrugged. "Last time I saw her, she was in the kitchen. You know how to find your way around this place. Knock yourself out." Ami nodded and traveled to the kitchen. Makoto wasn't there. She trekked through the jinja until she stood in front of a door she had never seen before. She opened it slightly. She peeked in to find Makoto sleeping on the bed. She giggled as she closed the door. She sighed and decided to leave. She stopped by Rei's room and said goodbye. Then, she departed.

* * *

Usagi stared at the school, trying to figure out why it was still there. She wanted to remember the fond memories she had and smile at them, but she couldn't. She made a mistake during her last year of middle school. She wanted to correct it so badly, but she couldn't go back in time. She put her hands in her pockets and looked around for Rei, but she was nowhere to be found.

She tapped her foot impatiently. Rei was the one who told her to come at five o'clock. This was just great! Maybe Rei was playing a joke on her. If she was, this wasn't funny. She sighed as she continued to wait. She checked her watch. It was 5:20. She decided to leave. Moments later, she felt arms wrap themselves around her waist.

"I finally figured why you slept with me."

Usagi wanted to turn around to face Rei, but the miko held her body tight. "You're late," Usagi told her. Rei laughed at her change of subject. She simply told her she was there way before the other woman was. She only waited until the blonde decided to leave. Usagi thought that was just typical of Rei. She used to do that a lot.

"Mamoru's the perfect fiancé, isn't he?" Rei asked. "I remember when even Minako said you two were the perfect couple." Usagi gulped. She wondered where this was going. "But she was wrong about that, huh?"

"What are you talking about?"

"He hurts you, right? He dulled your shine, right?"

Usagi had a pretty good idea of what she meant. Rei kissed her neck and gently bit her earlobe. "No, Rei, not here," she murmured. Rei chuckled a little. "You hate him with all your heart, so you wanted someone else to treat you better. Am I right?" Usagi really wanted to deny it, but she knew it was true. She nodded in response.

"Then, for the rest of the day, _I'll_ be your lover. I'll treat you better than him."

Usagi finally turned around when Rei released her. The raven-haired woman grinned at her as she put her hands were in her pockets. She looked innocent in a scheming way, and Usagi really hated it. If she agreed to this, she would be cheating on Mamoru again. He was really a nice guy. Rei, on the other hand, was like the personification of her own mistakes. She sighed when she made up her mind. She was about to add this to her list of mistakes.

"Aishiteru."

Rei quickly pulled Usagi closer to her. "Say it again."

"Aishiteru."

Their lips met in a mind-blowing kiss. This was middle school all over again.

* * *

"It started here, huh, Minako?"

Minako shrugged as she stared at Juuban High School. "Depends on what you mean," she answered. "Do you mean love or pain?" Makoto looked at her worn out shoes. She seriously needed to get new ones. "I mean everything," she replied. "For all of us. Usagi and Rei had their issues, we had ours…"

"And that was your fault."

Makoto rolled her eyes. She refrained from making a comment. Instead, she got to the point. "Well, Minako, I'm back in town. I not going anywhere," she stated. Minako turned her attention to the brunette. "I told you that I left because I thought something needed to change," Makoto continued. "I wasn't lying…but I mainly left because I was just running away from you." Minako tilted her head, silently asking the tall woman to elaborate.

"Everything we did started here and ended here. I didn't want to face my mistakes, so after graduation, I left. You still hated me at the time. Everything between you and I was just screwed up, and I didn't think I could fix anything. So, I ran away because seeing you reminded me of everything that happened before." Makoto bit her lip for a second and clenched her fists. "But I won't do that anymore. I'm staying right here."

Minako turned back to the school. "You admit dating Ami was a mistake?" she asked slowly. "Hai," Makoto answered. There was silence between the two. Minako was in deep thought, and Makoto waited for her say what was on her mind. After a few minutes, Minako grinned. "We fooled around a lot back then. I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy our time together." She looked into Makoto's eyes as she walked towards her. "So, why not repeat all of that?" she asked.

"I don't want you for your body, Minako."

"I don't want you for yours, either."

Makoto's jaw almost dropped. Was this really happening? Was Minako really saying 'I love you' in her own way? This was great! Everything was falling into place already!

"But first, you have to kiss me in front of Ami."

* * *

"Mamo-chan, I won't be able to come home tonight. Rei wants to rearrange some stuff in her grandfather's room…okay. I'll see you tomorrow."

Usagi hung up as she turned to Hana and Yuriko. They gulped as they inched closer to their aunt. "You're not afraid of Kowai Miko?" they whispered. Usagi giggled and shook her head. "She may look scary, but she's actually the coolest miko in the world," she whispered. "Don't tell anyone else, okay?" Usagi winked with a smile as she put her index finger in front of her lips. The girls returned the smile as they nodded and went back to watching TV. Then, Rei came out the kitchen. As she sat down next to Usagi, she kissed her jaw line.

"Minako should be here any minute," Usagi whispered quietly. Rei shrugged. "If you want…" She whispered the rest in the blonde's ear. She blushed at every word. She gulped. It was apparent Rei had read H-manga at some point after she turned eighteen. "Just say the word."

"Usagi, girls, I'm home."

Hana and Yuriko jumped up with glee. Rei sat casually on the couch and greeted Minako. Usagi tried to hide her now red face "Oh, hi, Rei. What a pleasant surprise," the blonde smiled. "Please, stay for dinner." Rei's eyes widened, prompting Minako to think she had seen death. "She can cook now?" she gasped. Minako frowned. The thought of her old cooking skills made her depressed. "She's a mother, Rei. What do you expect?" Usagi sighed.

Minako thanked her sister for defending her. Rei was skeptical, but she decided to stay anyway. Minako smiled and made her way to the kitchen. She had to start right away. Rei followed her. "So, what did Makoto say?" she asked softly. Minako rolled her eyes at Rei's nosiness. It was annoying. "When she does her part, we'll be together." Rei grinned. That was enough for her. Makoto was definitely screwed.

--End Chapter Three--

_Sumomo mo momo, momo mo momo, sumomo mo momo mo momo no uchi _- _A Japanese plum is a kind of peach, a peach is also a peach, both Japanese plum and peach are kinds of peaches_

_Koshou shoushou, shio shoushou, shouyu shoushou _– _A little bit of pepper, salt, and soy sauce_

_Damn, I didn't get to update three times this week!! I was on a roll, too! That sucks. Anyway, everything is unfolding. Apparently, relationships happened earlier when they were in school. Ask any questions if you are confused. And please REVIEW! I don't get that many reviews anymore Til next time_

_Serenity101_


	4. Chapter 4

How Love Should Be

_Summary: Usagi is happily engaged to Mamoru. They're labeled as the perfect couple, so what's wrong? Everything. Minako is a single mother who strives to take care of her children. What happens when someone wants to love her? Everything. How should love really be?_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon._

_A/N: You must read it even if you have done so before. This is an edit! Have a happy new year!_

Chapter Four

_Usagi cried as she kneeled on the floor and laid her head in Minako's lap. Her older sister tried to calm her down, but it was no use. She sighed as she stroked Usagi's hair. She cooed softly, staring vacantly at her reflection in the mirror. Usagi lifted her head and stared at Minako. It took a few seconds, but she soon gave the younger girl her undivided attention. She wanted to smile and act as if everything was okay, but she couldn't. Everything wasn't okay._

"_It's not fair, Minako."_

"_I know."_

"_Why did this happen to only me?"_

_Minako sighed and looked back at the mirror. "He's your father, not mine. He doesn't have the right to do that to me." Usagi sniffed as she put her head back down on Minako's lap. Minako looked at Usagi for a few seconds before kneeling on the floor and wiped her tears. She attempted to smile softly and tilted her head slightly. Usagi knew that Minako was having difficulty keeping that smile. What had just happened moments before couldn't make you smile. It only made you sad and upset; it made you anything but happy._

_Minako carefully unwrapped her sister's right odango. Usagi relaxed a little and inhaled. She closed her eyes and felt a part of her hair fall to the floor. She leaned closer to Minako. Her head rested on her shoulder. "No, Usagi, I want to brush your hair," Minako giggled. "Don't fall asleep on me now." Usagi felt Minako unwrap her other odango. She cuddled up next to her sister. This meant she was going to fall asleep at any moment._

_In her dreams, everything _she_ wanted would be granted while everything else was irrelevant._

* * *

Usagi opened her eyes slowly. She blinked a couple of times before yawning. She stretched, but it didn't occur to her that she should have hit Rei. However, she wasn't there. Looking to her right, she only saw the bookcase with manga and novels on its shelves, the dresser, and the door. She sat up and rubbed her neck. She thought about the dream she had had. She remembered when it happened. She was seventeen at the time. That event was devastating, but what isn't devastating in life?

Usagi stretched once more and yawned. She smiled to herself, noting that she still had her clothes on. She gave herself a mental pat on the back and got out of bed. Her mind was now on food. She snickered devilishly to herself as she opened the door.

"What's that look for, Usagi?"

Standing in front of the blonde was Rei. With her towel around her neck, she wore a red bathrobe. It seemed slightly large, as her left shoulder was exposed. It caused Usagi to divide her attention. Her stare was directed to her friend's shoulder and to her face. Rei gently grabbed her chin, making sure Usagi looked into her eyes. "You're not thinking dirty thoughts, are you?" she whispered. Usagi gulped and shook her head. Rei grinned. This was Usagi. She couldn't think a dirty thought without blushing and getting a nosebleed. However, the blonde had changed a lot, and there was always a first time for everything.

"Mamoru's in the kitchen." Rei leaned closer to Usagi. "He's skeptical of the lie you told him. Until I get dressed, act normal," she whispered. She kissed Usagi's neck, making her blush. "You still have your clothes on, so that shouldn't be hard, ne?" Usagi shook her head. Rei walked into the room and looked through her drawer for clothes while Usagi quickly made her way to the kitchen. When Mamoru was in sight, she gulped. 'Why did Rei have to do that?' she thought. Putting on a smile, she greeted Mamoru. He was sitting at the table. He was drinking a cup of water as he looked up. He smiled and set the cup on the table.

"Hey, Usako." Usagi gave him a peck on the lips and sat on his lap. His arms wrapped around her waist, and his head rested on her back. "So, Usako, you and Rei rearranged her grandfather's room, right?"

"Hai."

"What does it look like?"

Usagi tried to remember what the room looked like. She had been in the room once before, but that was it. There had been manga all over the place. Books on the bookshelf were probably thrown there, as everything was disorganized. The TV had had lots of dust on it, as if it hadn't been touched. At least, that's what she thought it looked like.

"Why don't you go see for yourself?"

Rei was leaning on the wall with her arms crossed. Mamoru released Usagi and stared at Rei. He felt she was helping the blonde out of a tight spot. Rei broke eye contact and told them to follow her. Usagi was close behind. Mamoru got up slowly and followed. The three reached their destination after passing Makoto's room. Rei opened the door to her grandfather's room. Usagi poked her head inside. The room was spotless. It even amazed Usagi.

"We moved the TV to Makoto's room. We put the manga into piles on either side of the bookcase. One side is for the H-manga and the other is for whatever isn't hentai."

'That's where she got it from!' Usagi thought. "The books on the bookshelf were finally organized and everything is clean," Rei finished. Mamoru nodded with a smile. "And my Usako helped you with all of this?" he asked. Rei nodded. Mamoru pulled Usagi closer to him. "Great job, Usako." Usagi scratched her head and smiled sheepishly. She liked it when Mamoru praised her for something, but in this case, she didn't. She didn't deserve any of his praise. Mamoru then sneaked in a kiss. Usagi blinked with surprise. He pulled away and smiled at her. When Usagi began blushing, Rei rolled her eyes.

"This is a jinja, not a love hotel. If you're done here, Mamoru, then please leave."

Rei stared at the black-haired man. He kept his smile and tilted his head. The miko knew he was going to say something, so she waited with her arms crossed. Usagi looked from Rei to Mamoru. She didn't like where this was going one bit.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you envy me."

"And why would I?"

Mamoru shrugged as if he didn't know the answer to Rei's question. He told Usagi to wait for him in the car for a few minutes. Usagi slowly nodded and reluctantly left the two alone. When Mamoru was sure Usagi was far enough, he came up with an answer. "I just think I have something you want." Rei narrowed her eyes. Mamoru definitely hit a sore spot. The man shrugged again. "But that's only making assumptions," he said.

Rei didn't say a word. Mamoru was definitely smarter than she thought. He was wrong about one thing, though. She didn't want Usagi. She needed her. "Well, that's what men usually do, isn't it?" she spoke. When Mamoru raised an eyebrow, she continued, "Making assumptions on things you have no idea about aren't the best things to do. I don't _want_ anything of yours, nor would I ever." She gave him a fake smile. "Now, I suggest you leave now."

Mamoru left without his smile on his face. That pleased Rei thoroughly.

* * *

"You have apple-hair! I threw a pancake into the river! A pancake!"

Minako couldn't help but laugh. Almost everything that came out of Hana's mouth was hilarious. She leaned against the wall and slid to the floor. Yuriko stared at her, wondering what was so funny. However, she still didn't know the difference between regular typical mornings and the typical mornings where Hana was sugar-high from cereal. Hana smiled as she bit her lip. She loved making her mother laugh. It was something she never got tired of. She ran towards Minako and embraced her. She smirked at Yuriko. Making Yuriko jealous was also something she never got tired of. Yuriko put her hands on her hips with a grin.

When Minako calmed down and was able to open her eyes, she looked at Yuriko. She leaned against the wall farther away from her. Her back was facing her mother and her sister. She sniffed for a moment. She appeared to be wiping tears away. Minako frowned. Hana stepped away and clenched her teeth. Yuriko always ruined everything! She would pretend to cry to get their mother's affection. It made Hana so mad!

"Doushita no, my little Yuriko?" Minako asked softly. Yuriko turned to Minako slowly. Tears fell down her cheek. She said nothing as Minako wiped her tears and cupped her cheek. She glanced at Hana quickly. Hana was definitely angry. Trying not to ruin her façade, she answered, "Mama loves Hana more than me. She makes you laugh a lot and you pay attention to her more." After a couple of sniffs, Yuriko began wailing. If she didn't look like Minako, the blonde would think she was Usagi's child.

Minako calmed her down by telling her what any mother would say. "I love you both the same. I can't love one of you more than the other," she explained. "You're both special to me." Yuriko blinked and sniffed. Minako squeezed her into a hug. Yuriko smirked at Hana. The tears were real. She said what she thought. However, she knew when to cry and when not to. It was a beautiful gift. She stuck out her tongue.

"Mama, she's faking again!" Hana shouted. Minako looked at Yuriko's face. It was the same as before. However, she noticed Yuriko trying to keep back a grin. Her lips twitched slightly. It was almost unnoticeable. Minako then rolled her eyes. "I did that when I was your age," she said. "I thrived for attention by saying stuff like that." Yuriko frowned. If it weren't for Hana, she would've gotten away with it! Minako kissed her forehead. "I love you anyway." The small girl smiled a little. Of course, Hana got a kiss from Minako as well. When both girls were happy, they ran to their room. At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Minako stood up and went to the door. She was surprised when she saw Ami. "Hey, Ami, what's up?" she asked. With a serious demeanor, Ami said, "When did you first see Makoto?"

"Few days ago. She slept over since the jinja isn't the closest place in the world. Why?"

Ami shook her head with a little laugh. "I feel like I was the last one to see her." Minako smiled backing, knowing exactly what Ami meant. If she hadn't been the first one to see Makoto, it would have felt like she was seeing her after everyone else. However, she was the one who saw Makoto first. Rei saw her almost everyday, so she didn't count.

"Mama, Yuriko's throwing stuff at me again!"

Minako groaned. She wanted to do nothing, but that was out of the question. "Remember when I used to complain to everyone and told you _never_ to get pregnant?" she asked. Ami nodded. "After I got used to taking care of Hana and Yuriko myself, I said I lied," Minako continued. "But then this happened." Ami giggled without meaning to. The way Minako said it was funny. "Seriously, Ami, never get pregnant if you know the father's gonna be a deadbeat."

Suddenly, there was a thud. Minako groaned again. "I have a question for you, so can you come in?" Ami nodded and sat on the couch. Minako closed the door behind her and rushed to the twins' room. Ami only had to wait a couple of minutes. Whatever happened in that room happened quickly and quietly. Minako definitely knew what to do when it came to being a mother.

Minako entered the living room. She carried Yuriko with one arm and held Hana's hand with the other. "Okay, these two just won't stop fighting," the blonde sighed. "They compete for my affection, and they throw crayons and markers. The three things that can stop them from doing these things for just a couple of hours are Usagi, my mom, and Makoto." Hana and Yuriko forgot about their anger towards each other when they heard their idol's name. "I always leave these two with Usagi, my mom would disown me if I tried to leave them with her for selfish reasons, but I'm sure Makoto wants to see them more often, so…"

All three blondes put on big smiles. If only Minako did it, Ami wouldn't have given into her. Damn those kids for being so cute. "Hey, guys, why don't we go to the jinja and visit Makoto?" she asked as if it were her idea. "Alright! Ikimashou!" Minako ran to Ami's car with her kids. They didn't even bother to change out of their pajamas. Ami shook her head as she sighed. "Blondes will be blondes."

* * *

Rei entered the kitchen. Makoto looked up for a moment and went back to eating her cereal. Neither said a word. It was just one of those typical mornings. Rei sighed as she leaned against the counter. Makoto gave her a questioning look. "Mamoru was here, wasn't he?"

"Yeah."

Makoto suddenly let out a laugh. "Are you sure this is just a jinja? From what I heard, this definitely turned into a love hotel when I wasn't here." Rei narrowed her eyes. "You were eavesdropping?" Makoto put her hands up and gulped. "I didn't mean to," she explained. Rei shook her head as she stared blankly at the floor. Thinking back to the event that had taken place, she remembered the kiss between Usagi and Mamoru. She didn't want to see anything like that happened again. She had to find a way to get Usagi away from Mamoru. But how was she supposed to do that when Usagi was his _fiancé_?

"Hey, Rei."

Rei looked up. Her eyes met Makoto's. "For now, don't think about Usagi," the brunette said. "Everything will seem easier if you do." Makoto smiled, causing Rei to break eye contact. She hated how her friend could just smile and make _her_ want to smile. It was contagious. Damn her. "How would you know?" she finally asked. "When I block out all the important things, I find living a bit easier." Rei glanced at Makoto out of the corner of her eye. She was now eating her cereal.

"If you can do that, then you have a short attention span."

Makoto stuck her tongue out at her friend. Rei grinned and put her hands on her hips. "You're a twenty-something-year-old, and you're finally picking up on Usagi's habits?" she teased. "Act you're age for a change." Makoto crossed her arms stuck her nose in the ear. "I would appreciate it if you didn't speak that way to me. I am not Usagi." The two continued bickering until Makoto was at a loss for words. She didn't really care if she didn't win the argument. It seemed Rei had taken her mind off Usagi already.

"Well, since I cleaned Grandfather's room, I might as well revel in my accomplishment," Rei sighed. Makoto watched Rei leave the kitchen. "Just because you're over eighteen doesn't mean you should read the H-manga!" she called after the woman. In response, Rei laughed. She could do whatever the hell she wanted.

Makoto sighed and shook her head. Sometimes, the miko never took her advice. H-manga was bad for the mind! Why didn't Rei understand that? She finished her cereal in silence. When she was finished, she put it in the sink. She went to her room, wondering what she should do for the day. Soon, her thoughts traveled to Minako. She was sure she would see the blonde again today. And wherever she was, the twins were always by her side. They would definitely make the day interesting.

That was when she heard _it_.

At first, the sound was faint. She left her room in curiosity. The sound was getting louder. She went to the steps of the jinja and found the source. Ami, Minako, Hana, and Yuriko were there. For some reason, Hana was crying. That was the first time Makoto had ever heard her cry. It was actually a puzzling sight. She noticed Minako couldn't calm her down. Makoto stood there for so long, she didn't even see Rei standing next to her. "What's up with her?" the miko asked. Without answering her question, Makoto walked towards the little girl and picked her up.

"Hey, Hana, what's wrong?" she asked. The girl tried to wipe her tears, but there were so many of them. "I saw…I saw…" Yuriko smirked as she leaned against Minako. "Dead squirrel." Hana cries worsened. The girl was seriously distraught. "Hana, that squirrel wasn't dead," Makoto explained as she set Hana down. "It was sleeping." Minako and Rei emitted a sound. Minako bit her lip when Makoto glared at her. Rei scratched her head. "Sleeping? Are you sure?" she asked.

"Mochiron!"

"But that means it was dead!"

"But you sleep every night and wake up in the morning, right?"

Hana nodded at Makoto's conclusion. She wiped her tears and nodded again with a smile. "No, it was dead. You killed it, Hana," Yuriko smirked. Hana turned to her. "Liar!" She lunged for her sister. Makoto grabbed Hana before anything could happen. Makoto stared at Minako with surprise. Minako threw Yuriko over her shoulder. "This is the story of my life," she sighed. She walked towards the jinja. She kissed Makoto on the cheek, thanking her for detaining Hana. She lingered there longer than she was supposed to. She smiled and continued walking. Makoto watched her. She knew the kiss had its double meaning.

Then, Makoto turned her attention to Hana. Lifting her in the air, she frowned, "How come you tried to fight with Yuriko?" she asked. "She's always mean to me," Hana answered. "She started it anyway." Throwing Hana over her shoulder, Makoto sighed. "You know, I think you're lucky to have a sister."

"Makoto-sama doesn't have one?"

"Iie," Makoto smiled. She walked to her room.

* * *

"Yuriko, did you really think it was okay to start a fight like that?"

"But mama…"

"But nothing! Doing that to your sister isn't nice! Why would you do that?"

Yuriko jumped off the bed and ran out the room. She ran passed Ami when she opened the door. The other woman tilted her head and stared at Minako. The blonde groaned with frustration. She lied on the bed and covered her face with the pillow. Ami sat next to her and put her hand on her leg. Minako threw the pillow to the floor and turned away from Ami. "Ami, be selfish for the rest of your life," she muttered. "Never have children." Ami shook her head as she tried to tell Minako not to say things like that. Minako turned again to face Ami. "I don't understand how the hell I'm supposed to do this," she stated. Ami grabbed her hand and smiled. "Minako, you've gone through things like this," she reminded. "You can't crack now."

"I can, and I think I'm going to."

"Don't think like that," Ami frowned. "You've endured this for almost five years! Hana and Yuriko will find other ways to vent their anger with time." Minako tilted her head slightly. These four years hadn't been all that glamorous. But then again, Hana and Yuriko were just children. They still had a vague idea about what was right and what was wrong. She smiled. When they turned five, they'd understand a little better…hopefully.

"You know what, Ami?" Minako spoke. "I think you're right." She embraced the blue-haired genius with a grin as if she were clever. She had had a new idea. It was very simple. Minako was officially a mother on a mission.

"Hey, Ami, can I borrow your car?"

* * *

"Usagi, what happens when you baby-sit Hana and Yuriko?"

Usagi shrugged. "Nothing really. We just have fun." Minako glanced at her sister for a second. She found that hard to believe, but this was Usagi. She never had a reason to lie. "So, they never fight or anything?"

"They argue, but they don't physically fight."

"You've got to be kidding me!"

Usagi leaned away from Minako. She didn't understand what this about. Why had Minako even picked her up in the first place? She hadn't even done anything. "Minako, are you okay?" she asked softly. "Sorry, I'm just really aggravated right now," Minako sighed. She came to a stop. She got out the car and told Usagi to do the same. They had arrived at their destination.

When Usagi realized where they were, she groaned and she pushed Minako. She had totally been tricked! Minako drove all the way to their former home! She had no idea how Minako got the keys to Ami's car, but this just wasn't right! "Minako, why the hell would you drag me here?" she exclaimed. "When you come here, you and mom talk about motherhood and suddenly bring _me_ into the conversation!"

"Maybe if you had a kid or two, you'd enjoy this!"

"You're the one who tells me not to have a kid on a regular basis!"

Minako opened her mouth, but the door opened. Both blondes saw Tsukino Kenji staring at them. He had a few wrinkles here and there. 'He's finally aging,' Minako mentally quipped. Usagi immediately embraced him. "Here for _it_?" he asked Minako as he rubbed Usagi's back. Minako nodded.

Kenji smiled weakly at her and told them to enter. When they did, Minako ran to the living room. She squealed when she saw Tsukino Ikuko. The woman also showed the signs of old age approaching. However, in Minako's eyes, she was still the young, beautiful mother from her youth. "Mama!"

She embraced the woman trying to clean the living room from behind. She laughed, "Well, well, if it isn't my lovely Minako." Minako released her. She knew this would take a while. After all, she was a mother on a mission.

--End Chapter Four--

_Well, I know this chapter was kind of boring, so gomen nasai! It's kind of a filler chapter and hopefully, the next one won't be. If any of you still enjoyed the chapter, then I unexpectedly accomplished something! The apple-hair thing is from Grey's Anatomy. That was the most random moment ever! Also, I know some of you are wondering about the father of Hana and Yuriko. Heh, you'll find out soon enough. Again, happy new years! Til next year!_

_Serenity101_


	5. Chapter 5

How Love Should Be

_Summary: Usagi is happily engaged to Mamoru. They're labeled as the perfect couple, so what's wrong? Everything. Minako is a single mother who strives to take care of her children. What happens when someone wants to love her? Everything. How should love really be?_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon._

Chapter Five

Makoto watched Hana run out the room with a sigh. She had been able to cheer the girl up while lying to her in the process. Hana would figure out the difference between 'sleep' and 'dead' one day. Makoto lied on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

"Hana seems better."

Makoto turned her head with a smile. She nodded and scratched her head. "All she needed was a detailed lie," she chuckled. "When she's older, she'll know factual from nonfactual." Ami smiled back. She kneeled in front of Makoto and planted a kiss on her lips. Makoto stared at the other woman. She needed to tell Ami the truth. Letting this go on would make everything worse. Of course, breaking Ami's heart now would be as painful as breaking it later. Makoto mentally cursed herself.

"Wow, Rei-sama, you're really smart!"

"Yeah! I bet mama doesn't know this stuff!"

Makoto suddenly broke the kiss and sat up. Rei-sama? Since when have Hana and Yuriko been attached to Rei? They were afraid of her! Plus, Rei was in her grandfather's room. There was H-manga in there! What the hell was Rei doing?! Without a second thought, Makoto rushed out the room, leaving Ami behind. Ami sighed and hung her head. She never had Makoto to herself anymore. There was always something in the way.

Meanwhile, Makoto stopped in front of the door to eavesdrop.

"Hey, Rei-sama, why do you lie on the floor?"

"It's a family thing. My mother and my grandfather used to do it a lot."

There was silence for a moment. Makoto opened the door slightly, hoping Rei and the twins wouldn't notice. The twins' backs were facing the door, and the Rei was lying on her side in front of them. Rei's eyes met Makoto's, but Rei didn't seem to mind her friend's presence. Her eyes wandered back to the two girls before her.

"Where're your mom and grandpa?"

Rei hesitated for a moment. Her eyes went back to Makoto and then to a different part of the room. She didn't know how to answer them.

* * *

Usagi held her glass of water with anticipation. She and Minako watched their mother intently. She stood before them, being silent the whole time. Usagi leaned closer. The suspense was killing her! Suddenly, her own mother hit her on the head as if she were knocking on a door. Minako pointed and laughed. Then, she received the same punishment. Usagi mimicked her older sister, but she realized her mistake. She shut her eyes in panic.

"I'll be good! Just don't hurt me!" she exclaimed. Ikuko laughed as she sat down. "See, Minako?" she smiled. "Don't be afraid to discipline your kids every now and then. It'll do them good when they're older." Minako nodded as she rubbed her head. Ikuko's gaze went from Minako to Usagi. The blonde was drinking her water. It was now time to strike.

"So, when are _you_ going to give me grandchildren?"

Usagi swallowed her water the wrong way. She began coughing uncontrollably. Minako gave her a few pats on the back with a grin. "Oh, come on, Usagi," she said. "You know mom expects children from you." Usagi glared at her as her coughing subsided. Then, her gaze went back to her mother. "Dad told me never to have sex, and that's what I'm doing."

"That didn't answer the question," Minako interjected as she rolled her eyes. Usagi sighed as she leaned back. "I don't know. Maybe when I stop using birth control," she muttered, saying the last part almost incoherently. Minako gasped. She stared at Usagi with shock. "Bad Usagi!" Minako exclaimed. "You don't do that! You don't use…"

"Says the one who tells me never to have a kid."

Minako laughed nervously when she saw the look on Ikuko's face. She stood and pulled Usagi with her. "Well, thanks for the advice, mama. I love you, bye bye!" Minako made a quick getaway with Usagi in tow. They went in the car and drove off. Minako sighed with relief, knowing she was safe from the wrath of her mother. "Usagi, you know how mama gets when you say that!" she shouted. Usagi put on a grin of her own. "I had to shut you up somehow," she shrugged. "If mama knew anything, she would flip." Minako sighed and shook her head. "Seriously, Usagi… don't take what I say to heart."

Usagi gazed at Minako with confusion. "Why not?" Minako almost laughed. Usagi used to say things like that when they were children. She used to believe everything she heard. "You know how I am," Minako continued. "I say things I don't mean when I'm frustrated. Raising kids isn't all heaven, but it changes you for the better." Usagi tilted her head. She had thought that Minako hadn't changed much at all after having Hana and Yuriko. Now, she saw how wrong she was.

* * *

"They're…everywhere."

Hana and Yuriko tilted their head simultaneously. "How?" they asked. Rei gave them a giggle, seeming oddly different. "They are one with the wind." Not understanding what she really meant, the girls lit up. "Honto ni?" Yuriko asked. Rei nodded. "Hai."

Makoto frowned. The miko looked like she was about to crack. She hadn't talked about her mother or her grandfather for years. To mention them now would make her remember the pain she felt in her heart. Makoto opened the door all the way and leaned against the doorframe. "You haven't been teaching these two anything inappropriate, have you?"

Rei shook her head. She held up manga as she replied, "I only gave them a taste of shoujo manga." Hana and Yuriko ran to Makoto with big smiles. "Rei-sama's mom and grandpa are everywhere!" they exclaimed. Makoto gave them shocked expressions. "Really?" Then she looked up at Rei. "You never told me that before."

"You never asked."

Makoto smiled weakly. "Touché." Wanting to give Rei a little alone time, Makoto took the twins to the kitchen. The only way to distract herself was to cook.

* * *

"_Hey, Usagi! I need you to do me a favor!"_

Usagi gulped. Minako had taken her to the jinja for some reason. Of course, they had had a little chat with Mamoru about their 'Sisters' Evening Out.' The call had been Minako's idea entirely, so it seemed like nothing was going on. Now, she wished Minako had taken her home. Someone had called on her cell phone, and if Minako found out who it was, Hana and Yuriko would lose their only aunt.

"_Usagi?"_

"Uh, yeah, I'm kind of busy, so call me back later. Ja ne!"

"_But this is important!"_

Usagi hung up and sighed, causing Minako to raise an eyebrow. "Who was that?" she asked. Usagi laughed nervously, saying it was no one. Her sister didn't believe her, but it didn't matter. Minako respected Usagi's privacy and it was simply none of her business. The two walked up the steps of the jinja. Eventually, they smelled something good. They gave each other familiar looks. Makoto had cooked something without them in her presence! They dashed up the steps and followed the smell. Obviously, they were led to the kitchen. They agreed to sneak up on Makoto, so they slowed their pace and tried to be as quiet as possible. They peeked inside the kitchen and were surprised to see Makoto and Ami kissing. The smell of food was blocked out of their senses entirely.

Usagi glanced at Minako. She looked pissed off, or at least irritated. Usagi placed her hand on her sibling's shoulder, but it didn't seem to help. Minako opened her mouth, but a different voice spoke. "Makoto! I thought you knew this place was a jinja, not a love hotel!" All eyes went on Rei, whose hands were on her hips. Ami blushed as she grabbed Makoto's sleeve and hid behind her. She didn't like it when Rei raised her voice. She was scary when she did. "I teach children about manga for half an hour, and this is what I find? I should kick you out!"

"It's not that serious," Usagi said softly. "Yes, it is!" Rei and Minako shouted. Then, everyone turned to Minako. She scratched her head and with a slight smile. "So…how about those Chunichi Dragons?" Usagi bounced up and down. "They won the Konami Cup Asia Series 2007 and 2007 Japan Series!" she squealed. Rei ignored Usagi and sighed. "That was a lame attempt at a save. Your kids are in my grandfather's room. Just go."

Minako immediately left the area. "Makoto, Ami, keep that to yourselves," Rei continued. " And Usagi…since when were you into baseball?"

* * *

It was once a man's world. Minako had taken Usagi away to their mother's house earlier, so he took the time to enjoy being alone in the house. Half an hour later, Minako had told him she would keep Usagi a little longer. He didn't protest, as he thought it was a great thing for the sisters to spend time together. Even though he wanted Usagi to return, he let her have her fun. He thought he would enjoy time to himself for a little bit.

Again, it was _once_ a man's world. One little girl used her power to ruin it all. She stared at him with a slightly frightened expression, but he always thought she felt cautious. Her hands were in behind her back. At moments like these, he wished Usagi were there to help him out of this pinch.

"What? Are you hungry?" The little girl nodded. He sighed and stood from his seat on the couch. He went to the kitchen with the girl following him. "You know, for someone your age, you don't talk a lot," he said. "You should talk to get what you want." The girl didn't say a word still. If Usagi were there, she would say something. Mamoru didn't understand why she wouldn't talk to him. He really sucked at this babysitting thing.

Mamoru picked up the phone and dialed a number. He wasn't calling Usagi; that would be too easy. He decided to call someone he had known for a long time. That someone would know exactly what to do.

* * *

"Alright, I got my kids. Let's hit it!"

"Hey, take me home first!"

"Minako, don't forget that it's _my _car!"

Minako, Usagi, and Ami ran down the steps of the jinja. Rei shook her head as she began sweeping the grounds. Makoto stood next to her with confusion. "Where'd Minako go? And where'd Usagi come from?" she asked. Rei rolled her eyes. "Why? Are you mad because they walked in on you and Ami?" she asked slyly. It made Makoto blush. "N-no! It's just…"

"I should really slap you upside the head with this thing," the miko growled. "Minako is _in love with you_. Ami _still_ doesn't know you have no feelings for her, and you've been dating her since high school. What is your problem?! Do you like breaking hearts or something?!" Makoto stared at the ground, knowing Rei was right. She shouldn't have let things from _high school_ carry on like this. Ami needed to know the truth. However, the last thing Makoto wanted to do was hurt her. But then again, she would still be hurt one way or the other.

"The last thing we need around here is a Haruka substitute," Rei sighed. "Okay, Rei, I understand," Makoto groaned as she rolled her eyes. Rei laughed as if there was a joke Makoto didn't get. "No, I don't think you do," Rei said. "You _will_ tell Ami you don't love her. If you don't, I swear I'll kick you out." Makoto opened her mouth to speak, but she was at a loss for words. She was sure Rei wasn't joking around.

"I don't like seeing my friends hurt like that, you know," Rei grumbled. "Minako may have a smile now, but she definitely _is_ hurting on the inside."

"What about Ami? After I tell her the truth, she'll be distraught."

Rei stopped sweeping and turned to Makoto. "There's one major difference between Ami and Minako," she began. "Ami moves on; she'll be upset for a while, but she'll get over it and move on. That's what happened with Urawa, ne?" Makoto nodded. Urawa Ryo left one day and never came back until everyone was in there last year of high school. Ami had had a crush on him years before, but she had gotten over it. At that time, Makoto was dating her. "Minako, however, never moves on," Rei continued. "She has done things that haunt her to this very day. She has regrets about many things; she can't stop thinking of her past. If you break her heart, she'll shun everyone. While Usagi and I try to console her, you'll be remembered as the girl who never really cared. Imagine how Hana and Yuriko will be affected."

Makoto tried to process all of that. Rei had really broken it all down. She made it seem like it was all simple when it wasn't. Knowing all of this information just made things harder…and made her curious.

"What kind of things does Minako regret?"

Rei continued sweeping. "I don't kiss and tell."

* * *

"Usagi-san! Usagi-san!"

Usagi entered the house after Ami dropped her off. As she walked to the door, she had hoped that Minako wouldn't pick her up unexpectedly and bring her to their parents' home again. Her thoughts had suddenly shifted towards her younger brother, Shingo. She hadn't heard from him in a while. He was attending college now, which left Ikuko and Kenji alone at home. Smiling a bit, she remembered how he got her into baseball in the first place. Now that he was older and they weren't around each other all the time, they rarely had fights and Usagi was no longer _Baka_ Usagi…unless she said something really stupid.

That was when she opened the door. She walked in with a sigh and announced her presence. She didn't notice Mamoru smile at her as he sat on the couch. If it weren't for her name being called, she would have went to bed. She blinked a few times when she saw a little girl run towards her. If she hadn't been surprised, she would have smiled. However, her gaze went to Mamoru.

"What's Megumi doing here?"

"He said he needed to do something so…"

Usagi narrowed her eyes. "When you say _he_, you mean…" Mamoru nodded. "Did he ask you anything?" Mamoru nodded again. "He said he wanted know Minako's address…"

"And you told him!?" Usagi screamed. The little girl, Megumi, had to cover her ears. Mamoru gave Usagi a questioning look. If he had done something wrong, he didn't mean it. But Usagi was screaming at him, so something serious had to be up. "Have you ever wondered who Hana and Yuriko's father is?" she asked. Mamoru shook his head slowly. Then, his eyes widened in realization. He ran to the kitchen and grabbed his keys.

"Come on, we're going on a short road trip!"

* * *

A man leaned against the door with a bouquet of roses in hand. He wore a black t-shirt over a red, long-sleeved shirt. He was in his twenties and all he really wore when he was younger was the gakuran from middle school and high school. He thought it was a good time to wear something different. He wore black pants and shoes to match. Normally, he wouldn't care much about his appearance, but this was Minako. She used to dress him up; he was like her doll. He didn't mind that much, since Minako gave him a great fashion sense.

The reason why he was still outside was because no one seemed to be inside the house, so he decided to wait. With a sigh, he ran his fingers through his blond hair. He was nervous, though he had a good way of hiding it.

_Doki, doki, doki, doki, doki!_

His heart was beating so fast. He took a deep breath and exhaled. He repeated this several times. He groaned, knowing he'd screw this up when he opened his mouth. At this point, he only hoped that Minako didn't find anyone else.

* * *

Usagi and Mamoru grinned at the exact same moment. They had caught up to Ami's car. All they needed to do was go around them. If Minako convinced Ami to go faster as if they were really racing (Usagi and Mamoru already considered this a race against them), they would definitely be in trouble. Soon, Mamoru went around Ami's car and sped off. Usagi cheered.

"Don't celebrate yet. We've been going over the speed limit, ya know. If we get pulled over, we're screwed."

Usagi frowned. She rubbed Megumi's back as she clung to her shirt. The girl was obviously frightened by how fast Mamoru was driving. There was no way to make her feel safe unless Mamoru slowed down. That was definitely not an option. Once they got to Minako's house, Megumi would feel better.

Soon, they got to their destination in no time. However, this didn't seem like it would be such a smooth operation. "They're closing in!" Usagi shouted. Mamoru rushed out the car. He grabbed the man standing at the door and shoved him in the car. "Hey! What's going on?"

"Motoki, you idiot! Why would you go to my sister's house with a bouquet of roses?!" Usagi yelled as she sat Megumi on her lap. She opened her mouth to speak, but her eyes wandered away from his eyes. "Nice pants." Motoki grinned. Minako had taught him well.

* * *

Ami stopped in front of the house. Minako, Hana, and Yuriko got out of the car immediately. They knew for a fact Usagi was in that car. Minako shook her head and sighed. She had seen someone, but he was taken away. He did have some nice pants _and _a nice ass. She shrugged. "Ja ne, Ami."

"Bye, Ami-san."

Ami waved with a smile and drove off. Minako went inside with the kids and plopped on the couch. "I wonder what Usagi was doing here," she sighed. The phone rang just as Hana and Yuriko sat next to her. Hana ran off to get it and came back. She handed Minako the phone. Then she answered it.

"Aino Residence. Aino Minako speaking." Minako waited for a reply. Eventually, she got one. Too bad it wasn't whom she expected. "Hana, Yuriko, go to your room for a minute." Hana and Yuriko looked at each other, but they did what they were told. Minako suddenly became angry. "What do you want, Furuhata?"

"_I was at your house earlier…"_

"You were the guy with the nice ass?!" Minako blurted out. She heard Motoki chuckle. She blushed and tried to replace the word with something different. "I meant the pants," she groaned as she slapped her forehead.

"_Right. So, I was just wondering if you wanted to hang out. Usagi said she could watch Hana and Yuriko…"_

"Does Usagi talk to you every once and a while?"

"_Yeah…Usagi, what are you…? YOU IDIOT, DON'T SAY THAT!"_

Minako groaned with frustration. Usagi was the one who had yelled. Minako guessed Motoki was using her phone. From the argument she heard in the background, Motoki was still the idiot she knew from middle school. If she said no before Usagi destroyed the phone, she would make Motoki disappointed. That would please her to a certain degree. If she said yes…well, there was only one way to find out.

"Whatever. I don't care where you take me, but don't be sly and take me to your place. Got it?"

"_Y-yeah! Usagi, give me the phone!"_

"And bring that fashion sense if you still have it."

After hearing a few grunts and shouts of frustration, Motoki was able to make a comment. _"You said I had a nice ass, right? Oh, I meant pants."_ Minako hung up immediately. Damn Motoki for being a smartass.

* * *

It was around nearly eight o' clock when Minako, Yuriko, and Hana walked up the steps of the Hikawa Jinja. Minako went to Rei's room first. "Yo," she smiled. Rei lying on the floor while she read manga. Minako mentally noted that Rei still had her 'habits.' The miko looked up and raised her eyebrow when she saw Hana and Yuriko sit beside her. "Minako, what did I tell you about barging into my room?" she asked. "I don't know," Minako shrugged. "Where's Makoto?"

"In her room, I think," Rei answered. "But she's leaving soon." Minako frowned. She wondered where Makoto could be going at this time of night. Before Rei could ask why, Minako wandered to Makoto's room. Thinking about, she hadn't seen Makoto's room yet. However, she knew every inch of the jinja. There was a room that was never used, so she guessed that's where Makoto was.

When she got there, she opened the door to find Makoto standing right in front of her. "Oh, hey, Minako," she smiled. "What's up?" she asked. Minako pushed the tall woman back in the room. Makoto's smile faded quickly. She wore a look of confusion. Was Minako upset or something?

"Where are you going?" Minako spoke. Makoto shrugged. "I'm going out."

"With Ami?"

Makoto was silent at first, and she eventually nodded. "Ami set up a date earlier…before you, Usagi, and Rei walked in on us. I said I was free." Minako turned away from the brunette. Since she was going out as well, she didn't have to raise her voice. "Whatever," she sighed. "I was going to ask if you could baby-sit while I went out, but you're clearly busy." After a few moments of silence, Minako turned around. "I guess Rei can since Hana and Yuriko have gotten used to her."

Minako grinned at the look on Makoto's face. The other woman was glaring at her. "Nani?" she asked. "You can go out with Ami, but I can't do what _I_ want? That's unfair." The blonde planted a kiss on Makoto's cheek. For a moment, she stared into Makoto's emerald eyes. Then, she studied the taller woman's features. She had gotten used to the long bangs and the shorter hair. The blonde traced a line on Makoto's jaw line. Makoto stared at her with curiosity, but she didn't complain. She only declared, "If you stay, I _will_ kiss you." Minako's azure orbs wandered back to the brunette's, and she retracted her finger. "I guess I'll leave you alone then. Ja ne." Minako's tone was a bit innocent. She spoke quietly and smiled softly. She turned away and went to the door. Before she was able to open it, she felt Makoto grab her wrist. Minako frowned when she turned around. "What's wrong?" Makoto tried to capture Minako's lips with hers, but Minako stopped her. "Ami's not here," she whispered. Without another word, she left the room. Makoto was dumbfounded. Did Minako seriously resist her?

* * *

Motoki sighed as he waited for Minako outside of the jinja. He gulped. He felt more nervous than he did earlier. It had been years since he and Minako and been alone with her like this. She was probably going to chew his head off.

"Alright, Furuhata, drive."

Motoki looked up and noticed Minako putting on her seatbelt. Motoki did as he was told. "So, deadbeat dad, how have you been?" Minako sighed as she crossed her arms. Motoki shrugged. "Everything would have been better if you were there with me." Minako didn't respond. Her gaze was fixated on the windshield. Motoki smiled sadly. "But of course, that was my fault, too." As if that were the magic sentence, Minako asked another question.

"So, have you knocked up another woman? How many times?" she quipped. That seemed to be her main concern. If Motoki had impregnated another woman, she would be angry with him for not learning his lesson the first time. "No," Motoki murmured. "I didn't want you to think I was just another guy…"

"But you _are_ just another guy," Minako interjected. Motoki frowned. Did that mean Minako was involved with someone else? If so, who was he? "I like someone else," Minako stated. "I'm…_in love_ with someone else. You have no chance with me." The blond laughed, "That's a lie." Minako stared at him and raised her eyebrows. "I showed up for a reason," he explained. "I won't lose you this time. I want to be here for you, Hana, and Yuriko." Minako rolled her eyes. "I will always hate you, Furuhata. "

"You wanna bet?" Motoki grinned. He glanced at Minako for a second. He knew she couldn't resist a challenge. Minako stared out the window and sighed. Why did temptation follow her wherever she went?

--End Chapter Five--

_Doki doki – onomatopoeia of the heart beating_

_Sorry of the lack of Usa/Rei action. I'm getting to it. And the 'romance' between Makoto and Ami will be explored. Everything will fall into place soon. Now, this is a long chapter. I didn't know how to end it, and it ended up being a little over fifteen pages. So, I was going to update chapter four and this chapter together, but I wanted to make at least one more chapter for 2007. I think I'll double update the next two chapters to make up for it. Hope your having fun so far in '08! Til next time_

_Serenity101_


	6. Chapter 6

How Love Should Be

_Summary: Usagi is happily engaged to Mamoru. They're labeled as the perfect couple, so what's wrong? Everything. Minako is a single mother who strives to take care of her children. What happens when someone wants to love her? Everything. How should love really be?_

_A/N: OMG, I've updated something! Now I see what other writers go through when they don't update for Kami-sama only knows how long: WRITER'S BLOCK! This was pretty severe if you add a bit of laziness with it XP But anyway, a double update for you (how exciting!)._

_Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon._

Chapter Six

"_I would baby-sit them myself, but I have my hands full, too."_

"And what are you doing right now?"

"_Something really important."_

"With Mamoru?"

"…_No."_

"He's not hitting you again, is he?"

"_What? No, no, of course not. Mamoru's really a nice guy, Rei."_

Rei rolled her eyes. How could Usagi defend someone who hurt her? Besides that, she had said that in a whisper, indicating that Mamoru was probably nearby. The miko had no idea how frequently the hitting occurred, but she would put an end to it. If that meant destroying the engagement between Mamoru and Usagi, then so be it.

"Then be here at midnight. Prove to me that he doesn't hurt you in anyway."

"_N-nani? Are you crazy?"_

Usagi had said that in a whisper, too. It pleased Rei because Usagi was obviously worried about Mamoru finding her trying to leave, thus proving her point. At the same time, though, it scared her. If Usagi were hurt, it would be the miko's fault, since she wanted the blonde to leave the house. 'Well, life was about taking chances, right?' the raven-haired woman mentally quipped. The blonde would have to be lucky to sneak away from Mamoru. Considering her clumsiness, something rather _un_lucky might happen.

"Yeah, I guess I am," Rei finally answered. "I'll see you later." She hung up and stared at the phone dully, wondering how Usagi would get back home after she showed her the bruises. If she stayed there all night, Mamoru was going to suspect something.

The raven-haired woman walked slowly to the kitchen to find Hana and Yuriko sitting at the table, eating the ramen that Rei had made for them. It was passed eight-thirty, and Minako hadn't come back yet. Rei guessed the ramen would be their dinner. She sat in an empty chair and crossed her legs and her arms. The twins glanced at her for a moment. That piercing gaze was partly why they had been afraid of her in the first place. Quickly, they finished the ramen and put the bowls in the sink. Rei smiled as they thanked her for the meal. They sat back at the table as she began speaking.

"You always used to be so shy around me. Now, you're just different," she said. Hana smiled while Yuriko giggled. "You never looked like a happy miko," Hana explained. "We were a little afraid of you because we thought you were a scary miko." Rei laughed at how blunt Hana was. "So, why aren't you afraid of me now?" she asked. "Auntie Usagi said you were the coolest miko in the world!" Yuriko exclaimed. Rei stared at the table and almost laughed. "She said that…about me?" she asked, mostly to herself. Hana nodded rapidly, causing Rei's smile to grow wider. "Hey, let's watch TV in Makoto's room."

The children cheered. Hana ran to Makoto's room since she knew where it was, and Yuriko followed. Rei stood up slowly with that smile still on her face. She didn't like watching TV that much, but it would be a distraction for the twins, and it would give her time to think.

* * *

_"Makoto, what are you doing? You know the others are waiting for us on the grounds!"_

_"So? And if I didn't know better, I'd say you're trying to avoid _alone time_."_

_Ami giggled as Makoto pulled her up the stairs leading to the roof, which was probably the most private place the school had. Not many people bothered going there during lunch, so Makoto thought she could have a little time alone with Ami. The others were always there, whether it was homeroom or dismissal. The brunette only thought that they deserved some peace and quiet with each other. Giving Ami time to rest after all that running, she opened the door and squinted, the sun blinding her eyes for a moment. She walked outside and grinned, knowing her mission had been accomplished. However, once she looked to her left to stare at all of the students below, she frowned. "_That_ ruined everything," she muttered._

_"Heard that."_

_The person Makoto had seen was Minako, who was laying down and using her bag as a pillow. She looked over at the blonde with disdain. "Well, if you're going to be that way, you ruined everything, too," she said rubbing her eyes as she sat up. Hearing the voice of her friend, Ami poked her head from behind the door. After getting a good look at Minako, she walked toward her and stopped beside Makoto. "What are you doing here, Minako-chan?" she asked. Minako didn't answer at first. She simply stared into space and shrugged. Ami put her index finger on her chin in thought, wondering why Minako wouldn't answer. There was always a reason as to why she didn't answer right away. Then, something hit her, making her form and 'o' with her mouth. She hadn't seen Minako since homeroom, which had been very puzzling at first. In fact, this hadn't been the first time Minako had turned up missing during school hours. The blonde had asked to go to the bathroom, but she hadn't come back after that._

_"Minako-chan, you've been up here all day?"_

_"Hai," Minako answered with a grin, thinking Ami didn't miss a beat. "I decided to just sleep here until the dismissal bell sounded, but _someone_ just had to ruin that." Minako shot a glare at the tall brunette. Makoto only crossed her arms, unfazed by the blonde. Looking down at the grounds, Minako sighed and shrugged again. "Skipping classes at least once a week is the only thing keeping me sane. Taking care of babies suck," she groaned. "Word to the wise, Ami-chan: don't have kids. Ever. They may be cute and soft, but _you'll_ be the one in hell once you take them home." Standing up to stretch, Minako yawned and picked up her bag. "Minako-chan, you may say that now, but you'll find that you're very lucky to have children," Ami smiled._

_"If you call getting knocked up lucky, then yeah, Minako must feel on top of the world," Makoto quipped as she rolled her eyes. Ami nudged her in the ribs, but Minako didn't respond. Instead, she simply asked if she could talk to the taller girl after school. Receiving a glare from Ami, which told her to say 'yes,' she nodded reluctantly, prompting Minako to leave._

* * *

_Makoto checked her watch with an irritated sigh. Minako hadn't shown up yet, and she was the one who wanted to talk. She leaned against the wall, looking like the delinquent she was once made out to be. She stayed still until she heard her name being called. It wasn't the voice she was expecting, making her sigh softly as a result. She put on a fake smile and prepared herself for a conversation._

"_Hey, Makoto!" Ami called out to her. "You're still here?" she asked. "Yeah," Makoto shrugged. "Minako is kind of late, but you know how she is." Ami frowned and wondered if Minako and Makoto were okay. They always seemed angry at each other, which was very weird. They used to be the best of friends up until the start of the school year. Makoto chuckled and placed a light kiss on the shorter girl's lips. "I'm sure we'll straighten everything out," she reassured Ami. The blue-haired girl blushed while she put on a stern face. "You better. Minako-chan doesn't deserve _any_ negative comments from you, okay? At least _try_ to make her feel better__." Makoto nodded and sighed, not giving any guarantees. Ami smiled and gave her a peck on the cheek. Once she was out of sight, Makoto's façade faded. "How long are you going to keep me waiting?" she groaned._

_As if on cue, an angry Minako grabbed her wrist. Makoto stared at her out of the corner of her eye with a wide grin. "Violence leads to more violence, and I'm sure violence will lead to your hospitalization." Minako growled at her. "What was _that_?" she asked. "First, you steal Ami away from the others just to make it look like you actually love her, and now, you say that you'll make amends with me just to make her happy?" Makoto turned to her and shrugged, acting nonchalant. "So, you're spying on me now? How come I'm not surprised?"_

_"You don't love her," Minako spat. "You're just putting on a show for everyone for the stupidest reasons." Makoto laughed as she yanked her hand away from the shorter girl, noticing how Minako was less angry when she was with Ami earlier at lunch. Minako was quite the actress when it came to hiding most of her emotions. "And how would you know how I feel about Ami? You don't even know how it feels to love someone."_

Slap!

"_You have no right to say that," Minako growled vemonously. Makoto crossed her arms and faced the blonde, staring at her with a smug grin. "Is that so?" she inquired. She said nothing else, but Minako knew exactly what was on the brunette's mind, and that made her angrier. However, she decided to give up and leave before things got out of hand._

_"See you tomorrow, Minako-chan!"_

* * *

"Makoto, what are you thinking of?"

The brunette glanced at Ami once she heard the other woman's voice. The two were currently in Ami's apartment, just hanging out and watching TV. They had gone out for dinner a few hours before. To put it simply, they had had a quiet evening, beginning a conversation one moment and ending it only minutes later. For Ami, the night hadn't been what she had expected. She had been expecting passion and romance. Of course, Makoto was a little dense at times, so she would let it slide this time.

Makoto opened her mouth to answer while she focused on the TV, but Ami suddenly straddled her with a sly grin. "Gomen," she said. "I meant to ask _who_ you were thinking of." Makoto took one good look at the her and wondered when Ami became so bold. She was the shy girl – the one least expected to do anything outrageous. This move made the taller woman open her mouth, but she found herself at a loss for words. Ami rubbed the back of her neck, hoping to get some answer. "Come on, baby, try using sentences," she teased.

"I thought of you," Makoto replied finally. "I remember the days when we used to have fun. It makes me wonder why I left in the first place." Ami leaned forward and whispered, "You'll have to refresh my memory. What kind of fun did we have?" It took a few minutes, but Makoto eventually got the hint. She picked Ami up with a devilish smirk and ran towards the bedroom.

* * *

"Thanks, Rei. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Minako hung up with a happy sigh. Rei had agreed to keep Hana and Yuriko for the night. Motoki had given her a challenge, and she decided to humor him. She would be his 'friend' until Hana and Yuriko's birthday, which was at the end of the month. Two whole weeks of Furuhata Motoki. And of course, when Motoki had said friends, he meant friends with benefits. Minako agreed to this on two conditions:

1. No sex

2. No touching below the torso

When this was all over, Minako would determine if she had any feelings for him. If she didn't, she could kick his ass to the curb. She was sure she wouldn't unexpectedly fall in love with him, as that only happened in romance dramas. Her love for Makoto wouldn't waver…hopefully. Motoki had thought the two conditions defeated the purpose of being friends with benefits, but he complied, thinking she would make the first move anyway.

"So, should I take you home now?" Motoki asked. "I thought you said we would hang out," Minako said. The blond chuckled. "We just did." Minako thought it about for a second. They had been driving around town for over a half hour. Would one really consider that as hanging out? She looked at her watch. It was passed nine o' clock. If she went home now, then she would have to go get Hana and Yuriko, even though she asked Rei to keep them for the rest of the night. That would probably irritate Rei, so she came up with an idea.

"No," she finally replied. "Just keep driving." Motoki nodded, even though he didn't know where to go. At this point, they'd be driving around in circles. When the silence got to her, Minako sighed, "Let's go to the nearest corner store."

"Naze?"

"If we're going to be 'friends,' we might as well hang out as 'friends.'"

* * *

Usagi carefully inched away from Megumi as she slept. At first, the black-haired girl stirred after losing her grip on Usagi, but she eventually stopped moving. Usagi put a pillow in the her place for the little girl to cuddle next to. Usagi opened the door quietly, hearing a noise coming from the living room. That was an indication that Mamoru was still up. Closing the door slowly, she tiptoed down the stairs. She wanted to go back to bed, but it was too late. She had to go to the jinja now.

"Hey, Usako," Mamoru yawned. "What are you doing up?" Usagi smiled and said she wanted something to drink. That was only a lie to cover up the fact that the keys to the car were in the kitchen. As she walked passed Mamoru, he stopped her. "I know something you can drink," he said, a sudden grin gracing his features. Usagi wasn't the naïve girl she used to be, and she knew the meaning behind those kinds of phrases that sounded innocent enough. She didn't say a word as she tried not to grimace. Instead, she tried making her way to the kitchen, which proved impossible. Mamoru pulled her into his lap and kissed her neck. "Come on, Usako," he whispered in her ear. "Megumi won't wake up if we're quiet enough."

Usagi tore away from Mamoru, but she still wasn't able to get to her destination. Mamoru pushed her against the wall and pinned her. "You know you want to," he said between kisses on the lips. "Don't try to fight me." Usagi asked Mamoru to stop while trying to break away from him. All the struggling from his fiancé annoyed Mamoru. The next thing she knew, she was thrown to the couch. Before she could say a word, Usagi felt the palm of his hand connect with her cheek.

"See what you made me do?" Mamoru sighed. "Well, at least it was only a slap. Image what else I could have done." Usagi let a tear streak down her face as Mamoru removed his shirt. Why couldn't she win against him? It was the same all the time: he overpower her with his strength just to get want he wanted. "I really love you, Usako," the black-haired man continued. "Don't you get it?" Usagi stared at the TV blankly, unable to look at the man before her. 'If this is love, then I don't want any part of it,' Usagi thought to herself. She decided to say nothing, fearing Mamoru would punish her further.

* * *

Rei closed her eyes with a groan. Usagi was supposed to be there at midnight. It was after three-thirty now. What was taking her so long? Maybe Usagi didn't want to show her the bruises. It was easy to guess that Usagi wanted to save the engagement. "Maybe," she whispered to herself. She decided to get some sleep, seeing how Usagi wasn't going to show.

The raven-haired woman found herself dosing off, but she somehow woke up and began staring at the wall. This continued like a never-ending cycle until she heard panting from outside. The door opened immediately, and the sound of someone falling to the floor rung in Rei's ears, waking her up immediately. "R-R-Rei…I tried to get here sooner…d-demo, he…" Rei turned around quickly to find Usagi on her knees with her head was down. She was obviously crying, so Rei got out of bed and kneeled beside her, lifting her head to get a good look at her in the dark. However, she couldn't see anything major at that moment.

"L-last time…when I came here, h-he wanted to…you know…but he gave up because I kept struggling," Usagi stammered. "He...he tried slapping me...t-to coax me into sleeping with him. This time, he didn't give up, Rei! He wouldn't stop!" Rei embraced the blonde and tried to quiet her down. If Hana and Yuriko woke up, she'd have to worry about them eavesdropping or something of the sort. "Let me stay with you," Usagi pleaded. "Please. I don't want to go back there." She gazed into Rei's eyes, hoping Rei would say yes. Of course, that's exactly what Rei said. Usagi smiled and thanked her. "You should tell someone about this," Rei suggested as she touched Usagi's cheek. "Minako would have a nice chat with Mamoru. After that, Makoto could let her fists do the talking."

Usagi opened her mouth to speak, but Rei placed her index finger on her lips. "Anyone who hurts you doesn't deserve you," she explained. "He shouldn't be hitting you and using you as if you're some toy. That's not love." Usagi nodded her head slowly, trying to convince herself that Rei was right. "Yeah," she murmured. After a few minuets, she smiled again and nodded. "Yeah," she said with more confidence. "You're right." Rei smiled. Maybe Usagi would be able to say that she hated Mamoru with more confidence as well.

"Good. We can talk about this later. For now, let's get some sleep."

* * *

Minako woke up with a headache. She groaned as she stared at the ceiling, rubbing her head with her left hand and taking a deep breath. She scratched her leg with her right hand as if nothing was wrong. It took her a few moments to realize that she was scratching her bare leg, which she shouldn't have been able to feel at that point in the day. She jumped out of bed and looked at herself in the mirror.

First, her jaw dropped. She wanted to gasp, but no sound would make its way out of her mouth. Then, she swore excessively. All she saw in the mirror was herself with only her bra and panties on. After that, she began blaming Motoki. She remembered him staying with her that night, but she didn't remember what they did. Her half nakedness could have been his fault; he might have ignored the two rules she had established. The thought of undressing herself went through her head for a minute, but she never stopped if she were 'excavating the Tunnel of Love.'

The blonde searched around the room for her robe before leaving. She called Motoki to see if he was still there, but he didn't answer. When she entered the living room, she saw her clothes scattered across the floor. At that moment, the feeling to vomit overwhelmed her. She rushed to the bathroom, missing the note on the couch.

* * *

Makoto waved as Ami sped down the street. Her cell phone rang as she walked up the steps of the Hikawa Jinja. She answered it, guessing who it was. "I just got home. Why?" she asked. She skipped every two steps with a slight smile on her face. To say she was happy was not completely accurate. There was something inside of her that made her feel relaxed. She thought being with Ami made her feel this way. Their morning together was…peaceful. They had forgotten about everything and focused on each other. Makoto thought it was nice. She and Minako had never had mornings like that. Those mornings consisted of silence on a good day, and lots of arguing on a bad one.

Just as she thought that, she stopped skipping up the steps. "Usagi's staying with us?" she inquired. She continued going up the steps, faster than before. "For how long?" She got to the top and walked quickly to Rei's room. When she opened the door, she found Rei on the floor and lying on her back. Usagi appeared to be sleeping on the bed. Rei shrugged and sighed. "I don't know. It depends on her." Makoto shoved her cell phone into her pocket as she stared at Usagi. "Is there something wrong?" she asked.

"If there is, it wouldn't be my place to say," Rei answered. "Hana and Yuriko are in your room. Have fun with that." Makoto nodded slowly and left. She heard the TV on once she got close to her room, hearing voices as well. 'What are those two still doing here?' the brunette wondered. Putting on a smile, she walked in. Naturally, the very first thing she heard was:

"Makoto-sama, Makoto-sama!"

Hana and Yuriko suddenly grabbed on to Makoto's legs, preventing her from walking. "You were gone for a really long time," Yuriko said. Hana nodded in agreement. "Yeah! So long, we got to sleep in here!"

"Really?"

Hana and Yuriko nodded with smiles. Makoto smiled back as she trudged towards her bed and sat down on it. The twins climbed on to her lap and asked, "Did you go out with mama when she left us here?" Makoto blinked and blushed slightly. Did they even know how that sounded? "N-no, I didn't," she stammered. When the girls asked where she was, Makoto shook her head. "You know, you two ask a lot of questions," she sighed. "But Ami-san told us asking questions equaled having power!" Yuriko exclaimed. Hana agreed by flexing the muscles she thought she had. Makoto laughed and threw her head back. "Definitely Minako's kid," she concluded.

* * *

"You okay, Usagi?"

"Hai."

Rei sat up and stared at Usagi's back. "Do you know how long you'll be staying?"

"A few days. Probably a week."

"Will you tell anyone in that time period?"

Usagi turned to Rei and gave her an uncertain look. She really didn't want to tell anyone, but Rei had something else in mind. "You'll tell Minako, right?" she asked. The blonde shrugged as she curled up into a ball. "I just don't want anyone to worry about me," she explained softly. "Ever since we all met in middle school, everyone's been on my case. Even if something minor happened, they'd worry and want to fix it for me. I don't want that." Rei sat closer to Usagi and smiled, saying, "But why do you think we worry about you? You're too nice and forgiving. We don't want people to take advantage of you. Understand?"

"But no one worries about Ami. She's like me, just a little smarter," Usagi pouted. "That's because she has common sense," Rei joked. "She was never naïve like a certain blonde I know." Usagi playfully shoved the miko, smiling despite herself. Rei got off the floor and straddled the blonde. At first, Usagi was confused, and she didn't know what was going on. However, everything made sense as Rei began tickling her. "That'll teach you to push me," the other woman grinned. Usagi burst into laughter as she squirmed, trying to get away from Rei's touch. Just as her ribs began to hurt, she grabbed Rei's hands and took a breath.

"That was unfair and uncalled for," she said softly, a smile still on her face. "And you know I hate being tickled unexpectedly." The miko grinned as she leaned closer to Usagi, their lips merely inches away from each other. Usagi became a little worried because of how close Rei was getting. She wasn't trying to make a habit of having a few flings with Rei. "Learn to expect the unexpected," the miko whispered. At that instant, she pressed her lips against Usagi's. At first, there was a sense of hesitance. Usagi wasn't entirely sure that what she was doing was right. She didn't know whether to stop or not, as things would only get worse from here if she didn't control herself.

Rei pulled away for a moment and stared into Usagi's eyes. "What are you afraid of?" she asked. She stroked the younger woman's cheek with her thumb. "I won't hurt like Mamoru did. Trust me." Usagi released her hands and began squirming, saying, "I know you won't, but this isn't right. We might regret it later." Rei pinned Usagi's hands just above her head. "That logic didn't stop us before, did it?" she asked with a sly grin. "But I was...being emotional...last time," Usagi whispered as she watched Rei's lips move closer towards hers. Rei noticed that Usagi was finally relaxing and released her grip on the blonde's hands, which gave Usagi the opportunity to wrap both arms around Rei's neck, encouraging her not to stop. Rei got the hint and began stroking her sides until her hands rested at her hips, making the blonde giggle into the kiss. Then, her tongue brushed against Usagi's upper lip, telling the younger woman to stick her tongue out. Usagi understood and met Rei's tongue with hers. She let out a sigh of bliss as she began kissing back more fiercely then before.

"Hey, Rei-sama said to knock on her door before we go in!"

"But Auntie Usagi's here!"

Rei pulled away from Usagi with a soft laugh. "I think your laughter brought them here," she whispered. "Gomen." She hopped off the bed and opened the door with amusement. "You remembered to knock…or at least give me the heads-up," she quipped. "Definitely not like your mother. Good job." Yuriko and Hana beamed at the compliment given by their Rei-sama. "Arigatou, Rei-sama," they chimed. Rei looked back to Usagi with the thumbs up. "See? I'm the coolest miko in the world." Usagi agreed, knowing what she said was a fact.

* * *

_3:17…_

Mamoru stared his watch, wondering where Usagi was. He had seen her go to bed after their 'late night adventures,' but when Megumi woke up hours later, she reported Usagi missing. She had become frightened even though Mamoru was still with her, afraid that Usagi had left her alone. Mentally, Mamoru noted how she definitely didn't like him. So as a result, he had looked around the house, wondering if Usagi had simply woken up and went to a different room. However, it turned out that Usagi was, in fact, missing. Mamoru had managed to calm Megumi down a bit before she was picked up by her father. Mamoru really wanted to ask him if he knew where Usagi was, but that was out of the question. The only time he saw Usagi was when he dropped Megumi off anyway, and that wasn't always frequent.

After that, he had taken a nice, long shower, erasing all his thoughts for a good twenty minutes. Then, he just lied on the couch, waiting for Usagi to come back. He knew for a fact that she would come home, expecting physical abuse. However, that wouldn't happen. He would take her in his arms and squeeze her tightly, telling her never to leave so suddenly ever again.

A few hours had passed, and Usagi hadn't come back at all. It was three-seventeen, and she hadn't come back yet. He stood up and stretched, finally deciding to find her. First, he called Minako, thinking it would be a good idea to ask Minako if Usagi was with her. They hung out every now and then, and Minako always needed Usagi to baby-sit Hana and Yuriko. Once Minako picked up the phone, he asked her immediately. To him, she seemed out of it as well and very tired. She had said, "Unless Usagi's having a killer hangover, she's not here with me." Then she hung up. Mamoru raised his eyebrow in confusion but simply shrugged. After Minako, he called Ami. However, she didn't answer, so he came to the conclusion that she wasn't home. That meant Usagi couldn't have been there. Finally reaching his final decision, he went to the kitchen to get the car keys and headed out. Since Usagi wasn't with Minako or Ami, he decided to check the jinja, as it was the most obvious place to look first.

Mamoru entered the car with a sigh. He thought how it was weird to constantly think of Usagi when she wasn't there, but when she was, it was whatever. He really did love her, but he still wasn't used to conveying his feelings _correctly_. As he put the car in reverse, he chuckled at himself, remembering when he first met Usagi. He was different in his days of youth. He wasn't as selfish as he was now. He was just Chiba Mamoru – the nicest guy in the world.

* * *

_Mamoru walked down the street, carrying his bag with his left hand while his right was in his pocket. School had just ended for the day, and he was on his way to the Crown Arcade. Today, he decided to stop by the arcade and greet his friend, Furuhata Motoki, and play a few games. Since he lived alone, he could stay as long as he wanted. Once he got home, he would start homework, eat dinner, watch TV…_

_Then, a tap on his head interrupted his planning. It was a piece of paper, balled up into a wrinkled sphere. He picked it up from the ground and wondered why someone would throw paper at him since he had done nothing wrong. He looked around, trying to figure out who threw it._

"_Minako, you _know _I can't go home with that! Mama would throw me out the house again!"_

"_But still. Just man up and face the melody."_

"_I thought it was music...__"_

_Mamoru stared at two blondes – one had dumpling hair, and the other had a red ribbon on the back of her head. He looked at the contents of the paper (accidentally?) thrown at him. However, he was disgusted at what he saw. "30 percent? Seriously?" he spat. "And this is so easy, too! What a shame." The two girls suddenly stopped in their tracks. They pivoted on their heels and walked up to him. The odango atama glared at him as she grabbed the test back. "Mind your own business, jerk," she snapped. "If you're so smart, tutor me." The other blonde nudged her in the ribs with her elbow. "Don't be rude, Usagi." She smiled at Mamoru and apologized for the odango atama. Mamoru grinned and said it wasn't a problem. He turned back to the fuming girl and gave her a pat on the head._

"_I'll tutor you if you want. Judging from that paper, I'm a few years your senior, so I might actually be able to help," he explained. "Meet me at the Crown whenever you're ready." Mamoru bid the two girls farewell and continued walking to the arcade. He heard the girl with the red ribbon say, "Such a nice guy. You should take up his offer, Usagi. Cute and smart guys don't fall out of the sky everyday you know." He almost laughed, as he had never heard anyone call him 'cute' before._

* * *

The car came to a stop in front of the Hikawa Jinja. Mamoru took his keys out the ignition and took a deep breath. He exhaled as he closed his eyes, preparing himself for Rei's wrath when she saw him.

--End Chapter Six--

_Sorry for the crappy ending. The chapter just wouldn't let me complete it. Well, there's another chapter to enjoy, so go read it._


	7. Chapter 7

How Love Should Be

_Summary: Usagi is happily engaged to Mamoru. They're labeled as the perfect couple, so what's wrong? Everything. Minako is a single mother who strives to take care of her children. What happens when someone wants to love her? Everything. How should really love be?_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon._

Chapter Seven

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of vomiting, Minako began brushing her teeth vigorously. She needed to pick up the twins now, but she also needed to clean the living room. She had left the clothes on the floor, which made her continue to wonder what had happened. Next time she saw Motoki, she would figure this out.

Once her breath was minty-fresh, the blonde went to the living room to clean up. She gathered all glass bottles on the floor first. "So much alcohol," she muttered. She walked to the kitchen and threw them away, mentally vowing never to drink alcohol again. Returning to the living room, she began picking up the clothes, but then she noticed the note on the couch. Becoming curious, she picked it up and read its contents.

_Minako,_

_We did nothing serious. Call me if you want details._

_Motoki_

Minako looked at the back of the note and found Motoki's phone number. Tilting her head slightly, she sighed, thinking that Motoki could have just told her what had happened if he had time to write a note. Men had weird ways of thinking.

* * *

_Minako grinned at Mamoru as she began drinking her milkshake. The two were currently sitting at a booth in the Crown Arcade, waiting for Usagi to show up. They had been there for half an hour, but at this rate, it didn't seem like Usagi was coming at all. To pass the time, Minako had decided to see how well Mamoru could speak English. If he was her senior, he should have been on her level. Surprisingly, he was._

"_I never thought you were so good at English, Mamoru-san," Minako said. "Everyone at my school isn't as good as you."_

"_Not even the third-year students?" Mamoru asked, raising his eyebrow. He was very skeptical, as most high school students at his school didn't seem to have too much trouble speaking the language. Minako shook her head, making Mamoru smile at her, enjoying the flattery. "So, how are you so good at English?" he asked. "If I didn't know better, I'd say speak it fluently." Minako shrugged as she drank her milkshake. "My dad moved to England sometime after I was born. When I was seven, my mom sent me to live with him for a few years. Let me tell you, learning English wasn't easy!" Minako laughed. "He would make me stay up all night reading books until I got through the whole thing. Then, he tried bringing out the dictionary!" Mamoru raised his eyebrow with an amused smile. "Did help you?" Minako nodded. "Once he taught me the alphabet and how to pronounce the letters, he made me figure it out on my own...oh, there she is!" _

_Mamoru stared at Minako as a grin appeared on her face. Someone sat next to him and slammed a textbook in front of him. It was none other then Usagi. She held a notebook and pencil in her hands and spoke, "Page 371."_

_Minako began teasing her, asking, "Didn't you say you wouldn't come? Did mom kick you out or something?" Usagi didn't answer as she stared at the now open textbook. Mamoru gave her a worried glance and asked, "Daijoubu?" Minako waved her hand, dismissing her behavior as she explained, "She feels defeated; admitting she needs help isn't her thing. And since we met in such a weird way last week, she doesn't really like you all that much. Don't worry about it." Mamoru nodded slowly and looked over what Usagi needed help with._

* * *

The door opened before Mamoru had the chance to knock. He had spaced out for a second, thinking Usagi's feelings toward him now were like the feelings she had for him when they first met. His thoughts had been disrupted, so he looked down to find Hana and Yuriko staring up at him. They quickly left, sounding nervous when they greeted him quietly. He watched them practically run down the hall before returning his attention back to Rei and Usagi. The miko didn't bother looking up from her manga while his fiancé looked at the floor.

"I'm not going home. Not now," she said softly. "Please leave." Mamoru opened his mouth to say something, but Rei interjected, "Leave, Mamoru." The black-haired man didn't move an inch, wanting to convince Usagi to leave with him. "Usako, I'm sorry," he started. "I was just being selfish earlier. I couldn't help it. I…I just love you so much…"

"And that's why Usagi came to me crying," Rei quipped. "How can you hit someone you claim to love?" When he didn't answer, Rei rolled her eyes, telling him to leave again. Mamoru decided it was best to leave Usagi alone for now. It would give Usagi time to think things over and let her come home on her own.

"You know, if you were the Mamo-chan I used to know, I would have more respect for you," Usagi stated before he left. He gazed into her eyes and chuckled. "But that's not what I want from you." He left without any further discussion, leaving Usagi puzzled. When she was sure he was far enough, she asked Rei, "What did he mean by that?" Naturally, Rei rolled her eyes and muttered something about how dense Usagi was. She began ignoring her once Usagi started asking what he meant repeatedly.

* * *

Minako was sitting on the couch with her legs crossed. Her eyes were closed as she listened to Motoki speak on the phone. She wanted to make sure she heard everything correctly before overreacting. So apparently, after he and Minako had arrived at her house with a bunch of booze, the two had watched TV and just hung out. Minako had had a little too much to drink and suddenly, she straddled him and started kissing him. At some point, Motoki was beginning to think that she was realizing how much she used to like him and began undressing her.

"Wait a second! What happened?" Minako wanted to shout. There was no way that she would let herself go like that and actually let him undress her. However, she kept her mouth shut and let him continue.

After Motoki had taken off her shirt and pants, Minako had grabbed his hand and whispered in his ear, "You broke rule number two." She had stood up and blew him a kiss. "Oyasumi nasai, Furuhata." She had gone to bed after that. Minako nodded, almost forgetting that Motoki couldn't see her. When he asked if she was still there, she thanked him for the information. Before hanging up, she added that she wasn't angry with him. It was basically her fault in the first place. When she thought about why she started it, she came up with only one conclusion: she wanted to see if she had any feelings for Motoki at all.

Typically, her mind hadn't changed; she still didn't like him.

* * *

Makoto leaned against the counter as she watched Hana and Yuriko eat their lunch. It was almost four o' clock, and Minako still hadn't come for them yet. The brunette wondered if it had anything to do with her outing last night. It was very possible that Minako had found someone else. Of course, that would mean she was only playing with Makoto's head. She was always one to play games and brush things off nonchalantly. It was like nothing really mattered to her. Thinking about it made her sigh and throw her head back, grabbing the twins' attention. Their gaze went from Makoto to each other and back again. They had never seen Makoto so lost in thought. It worried them, but at the same time, they thought Makoto was even cooler. If they were older, they would think she seemed very sophisticated, but they had yet to actually learn the word.

Silence continued, as the twins were still eating their lunch, and Makoto was lost in her own little world. It was quiet enough to hear a door open and hear a faint voice.

"Sorry I didn't come earlier. I had a killer hangover…oh, hey, Usagi. What are you doing here?"

At that moment, Makoto came out of her trance. Hana and Yuriko wolfed down the last of their lunch and put their plates in the sink. They thanked Makoto for their lunch and ran out the kitchen. Makoto chuckled at their sudden energy. She decided to follow them, hoping she could talk to Minako. However, it seemed that Usagi beat her to that opportunity. Minako waved at her as Usagi dragged her away from Rei's room. Sighing in defeat, she put her hands on her hips. Once Usagi was done, she claimed Minako next.

* * *

"What are we doing in here? You know Rei never lets anyone in here without her permission…"

Usagi covered her sister's mouth, thinking it would be harder to tell Minako about Mamoru if she kept talking. They had entered Rei's grandfather's room, even though it was pretty much off limits. It was the only place where anyone could have a secret conversation. Usagi bit her lip as she stared at the floor, feeling very nervous. "Minako…I'm staying with Rei for a little while," she said softly. She removed her hand from the other blonde's mouth and placed it on her shoulder. When she said nothing, Minako asked, "Why? You're not cheating on Mamoru-san, are you?"

"I'm _trying_ not to…wait, that's not the point," Usagi stated. "I'm staying with Rei because…Mamo-chan hits me." It took Minako a little while to register the information in her head. After a few seconds, her jaw dropped. "What? Why?" she whispered heatedly. Usagi shrugged. "Sex maybe? If there's a reason, I don't know."

"How long has this been going on?"

"Since I was nineteen."

Minako gasped and stuck her hands in her pockets, trying to figure out where her cell phone was. "We're calling Kenji and Shingo." Usagi's eyes widened as Minako whipped out her cell phone. "Why?!"

"Shotgun and aluminum baseball bat. Must I say more?" Minako said as she began dialing a number. Usagi grabbed the phone and held it out of Minako's reach. "I don't want them involved, Minako. If papa wants to see Mamoru and I married, then he will…eventually. I just want everyone to be happy…"

"But what about you? What about your happiness?" Minako asked. "Fuck what Kenji wants. Decide something on your own for once." Usagi rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms. "You're one to talk," she muttered. There was confusion written all over Minako's face, prompting the other blonde to elaborate. "I've made my own decisions before, Minako, but you were always there to make another for me." Usagi proceeded to leave, but Minako stopped her. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"My eighteenth birthday," Usagi said with a fake smile. "Ring a bell?" Minako frowned when she heard that. "But it wasn't my idea," she tried to explain. Usagi nodded skeptically, not believing the other blonde at all. She left the room, ignoring Minako's last comment. "I said I was…sorry," she said softly, suddenly feeling dejected. She left the room and made her way to Rei's room to get her kids, but Makoto intercepted her. "Oh, Minako, can I talk to you for a second?" Minako shrugged, thinking another conversation wouldn't kill her. Makoto led her by the hand to her room. Minako closed the door behind her and waited for Makoto to speak.

"Are you playing with me?"

Minako opened her mouth to answer with a smart remark, but Makoto stopped her before she had the chance. The brunette cupped the shorter woman's cheeks, catching her off guard. "Give me an honest answer." Minako couldn't find her voice, since Makoto was just so intimidating. Her lips moved, indicating that she was trying to say something. The only thing that did was make her look like an idiot.

"So…you are?"

"N-no!" Minako exclaimed. She blushed and repeated herself in a lower voice. "No, I'm not. I just want to know if you really love like you say you do." Knowing an easy way to prove it, the brunette leaned in for a kiss. Just like last time, though, Minako resisted her. She slipped away from the other woman and turned away, scratching her head in uncertainty. "You know, Makoto, you make things very difficult," she said softly, almost in a whisper. Makoto grinned as she put her hands on her hips. "_I _make things difficult? And what have I done? Besides wanting to be with you, that is."

"You…you made me…you made me…"

"Made you what?"

Minako hesitantly looked into the other woman's emerald orbs, feeling her heart skip a beat. She opened her mouth again, but no words would come out. Makoto leaned closer, waiting for the blonde to finish her sentence. Minako closed her mouth and shook her head. "Forget it. Ja." She rushed out the room, hoping that Makoto wouldn't stop her. The brunette just stood there, wondering why Minako made things so difficult.

* * *

_Usagi closed her math textbook with a sigh, glad that the tutoring was finally over. She finished the rest of her soda quickly and packed her things. Mamoru stared at her with his arms crossed, waiting for her to notice him. He needed her attention because what he was about to say was important. However, Usagi ignored him and stood up from the booth. Just as she was about to leave, he grabbed her arm._

"_What's the matter with you? Do I have to tutor you in manners, too?" Mamoru asked. Usagi glared at him and tried escaping his grip. "Let go of me. This is harassment," she stated. Mamoru rolled his eyes and pulled the blonde down beside him. Just to make sure she wouldn't leave, he put his arm around her waist. She tensed up for a moment, but she eventually relaxed her muscles. "What is this all about?" she said with impatience._

"_You, you ungrateful bitch," Mamoru whispered in her ear heatedly. "I tutor you for _your_ benefit. I'm just being a nice guy and helping you out. And what am I getting in return?" He expected Usagi to answer, just to make sure she knew where he was going with this. Instead, she remained silent, and she looked down in her lap. "Nothing but disrespect," Mamoru continued. "All you do is complain and groan when I'm trying to help you. And when you leave, there no 'Thank you for the help.'" Mamoru released the girl and let her stand. "Well, Tsukino-san, it looks like you'll have to find a new tutor."_

_Mamoru exited the Crown Arcade, leaving Usagi speechless. He put his right hand in his pocket while his left hand held his bag. As he walked down the street, he couldn't help but think about how ungrateful Usagi was. He would have had better luck tutoring her sister. Mamoru shook his head in disgust as he turned the corner. "She gives blondes a bad name. No wonder she got that thirty when we first met," he muttered to himself._

"_Chiba-san!"_

_Mamoru stopped in his tracks and looked around to find Tsukino Usagi running towards him. He wanted to walk away and just forget about it, but something wasn't allowing him to. He sighed as he waited for Usagi to catch up. "Chiba-san…I…I want to apologize for my behavior. When you teased me about my score two weeks ago…it was like I was being reminded of how stupid I am. And when you said you'd actually tutor me, I felt worse!" Usagi hung her head and laughed. "I was being irrational and immature. Gomen nasai." With that, Usagi began walking in the opposite direction. Mamoru's jaw dropped slightly, surprised that she had responded to him so quickly. Before, he hadn't planned to go back to the Crown for a little while, just to make sure he wouldn't see her. Now, though, he didn't have to do that._

"_Hey, Tsukino-san!" he called before Usagi was out of sight. "Meet me at the Crown tomorrow, alright?" The blonde had turned around, and she appeared to be nodding. Mamoru smiled, causing her to do the same._

* * *

All the lights in the house were off, and Mamoru calmly waited in the darkness. As he lied on the couch, his right ankle rested on the arm while his left foot was touching the floor. His eyes were half open, threatening to drop at any minute. Mamoru had felt so out of it ever since he had come back home from the jinja hours ago. He had tried watching TV, but his thoughts proved too distracting. There was no motivation to do anything else, so he just lied there. He reflected upon his actions towards Usagi and thought about how he could make things right again. Of course, he would get help from Minako once she called.

_Ring, ring, ring, ring!_

"Finally," Mamoru sighed. He got up and stretched, taking his time to answer the phone. He took a deep breath and prepared himself for earsplitting shouts of anger.

"Hello?"

_"You stupid bastard, who gave you the right to hit my sister?"_

"No one did…it's just…something I can't help." Minako gave a fake laugh. _"Now I get it! You hit my sister on impulse and now it's a habit!"_

"I didn't mean it that way…"

_"Then tell me how I'm supposed to interpret that."_

"You know Usako. She was just so innocent before, you know?" Mamoru said. "I loved that about her. When we knew each other for over a year, I just wanted more of her." The man chuckled as he placed his hand on his forehead. "And some time after we got engaged…I got greedy."

_"So Usagi was right before..."_

"Right about what?"

_"Nothing! Continue, please."_

Mamoru sighed at Minako's response but decided not to press her. "Well, I've always wondered how to receive Usako's unconditional love, but I went too far in doing so…"

_"Usagi really did love you, Mamoru,"_ Minako sighed. _"I don't think she does now, but she loved you more than you could imagine."_ Mamoru laughed and scratched his head. "And how would you know? Did she talk about me when she was with with you? Did she ever boast about our relationship?" Minako didn't answer, but Mamoru knew what that meant. "I'm not surprised," he said. "Usako doesn't really communicate with others that well when it comes to emotional stuff…am I right?"

_"Hai."_

"She didn't talk to me the first year we were engaged, and she looked sad all the time even though she dismissed it all with a smile. She constantly pushed me away. That was when I started thinking about how to receive her love before things got out of hand." Mamoru inhaled deeply and sighed.

_"What do you think caused this sadness?"_ Minako inquired. Mamoru was silent for a moment, thinking about possible answers. Then, he said, "Her father and I. Mostly her father, since I had done nothing at that point."

_"You're right. It was Kenji's fault,"_ she stated. _"The whole 'arranged marriage' thing was too much for Usagi to handle. Then, you had to mess it all up when she was nineteen. Good job, Mamoru, you deserve a sticker."_

"So what should I do to get Usagi back?"

_"Nothing,"_ Minako replied. _"Usagi wants to make Kenji happy by marrying you eventually, so she'll come back on her own, unless Rei and I persuade her to stay away from you." _After that, she hung up, leaving Mamoru to think about what had been said.

* * *

_2:15… _

Usagi sighed as she stared at the clock, wondering why she couldn't sleep. Mamoru wasn't there, so she had assumed that she would be able to go to sleep easily. Ever since she had gotten out of the shower hours ago, she felt ready for a long slumber. However, each time she closed her eyes, she was nowhere close to unconsciousness. She tossed and turned, hoping that settling into a new position would help her fall asleep, but that didn't work at all. Here she was, ready to forget most of the previous day's events only to stare at the clock until she felt tired. "This sucks," she groaned as she placed her feet on the floor. Standing up and stretching, she decided to go to the kitchen to have a midnight (or past midnight) snack. Shaking her head, she muttered to herself, "Some habits die hard." Ever since she was a child, she would run to the kitchen whenever she was having trouble falling asleep. As the years dragged on, she learned to live without food in her stomach in the middle of the night. Once she had moved in with Mamoru, she didn't try leaving her room, so eventually she would fall asleep.

Upon entering the kitchen, she turned on the light and found Rei sitting at the table, holding a cup in her hands. She hissed at the sudden light and covered her eyes. "Turn of the light, will ya?!" she exclaimed. Usagi quickly apologized and turned off the light. "What are you doing up so late?" Rei asked as she watched Usagi's figure walk towards the fridge.

"Couldn't sleep. You?"

"The thought of summer kept me up."

Usagi giggled as she asked why. Rei yawned and rubbed her eyes before answering. She finally wanted to go to bed. "Business is somewhat slow in the summer. Remember what I told you about the jinja?" Usagi opened the fridge as she nodded. "The jinja depends on schoolgirls and desperate guys or something like that, right?"

"Hai. I can never bring myself to agree with the schoolgirl part, even if it is true," Rei smiled as she leaned back in her chair. "That lecherous old man I call a grandfather was way too perverted, if you ask me." Usagi laughed as she found a chocolate bar. She wondered who put it there and why, but she shrugged the thought off as she sat next in the chair across from Rei. "But he meant well," Rei sighed. "If it weren't for his perverted ways, though, I suppose I wouldn't have been born."

"Do you miss him?" Usagi asked, taking a bite of the chocolate bar. "Yeah, but everyone has to die eventually," Rei replied. "Besides, I still have this old place, you, and the others. That's all I need at this age." Usagi rolled her eyes. "You make it seem like you're old."

"I'm older than you, aren't I?"

Usagi crossed her arms and muttered, "By a few months." Rei grinned, proving her point. "Well, I've told you why I can't sleep. What about you?" Usagi bit in the chocolate and shrugged. "Don't know." The raven-haired woman tried stifling her laughter, earning a glare from Usagi. "What's so funny?"

"Were you waiting to raid the fridge once you were sure everyone was asleep like last time?"

Usagi pouted and kicked Rei in the shin in disapproval. "Shut up. That was a long time ago." Rei rested her head on the table, a smile still on her face. She closed her eyes, remembering what happened after that incident. "We were sixteen then. It wasn't that long ago," she insisted. Usagi crossed her arms in disapproval, nibbling on the chocolate as she sighed with irritation. Rei laughed again and put her chin on the table so she could look Usagi. "Gomen. I just like remembering stuff that you did back then. It was fun helping you out of tight spots, even if what you did was utterly stupid."

"Are you _calling_ me stupid?"

"Of course not," Rei smiled. "I know you mean well." The miko yawned again and stood up, ready for bed. Usagi put her head down, bidding her friend goodnight. However, Rei stopped in front of her and placed her left hand on the table and her right hand and on the chair. Usagi looked up at the hovering woman and asked if anything was wrong. She didn't receive a reply but instead, she felt a kiss on her forehead. "Goodnight, Usagi," Rei whispered. She stood there for a moment and gave Usagi a pat on the head, as if she wanted to say more, but she soon made her way out the kitchen. Usagi's jaw dropped slightly, and she began following Rei, remembering something important. "Uh, Rei?" Usagi watched noticed how Rei seemed to be hanging her head before turning to face her. "Yeah?"

"I don't know if you still remember this but...may your dreams be filled with lots of love..."

"...And may you dream of me," Rei finished slowly. "You didn't forget." Usagi began rambling and fidgeting, unable to start a sentence correctly. For Rei, body language said everything. When Usagi finally stopped talking, Rei smiled, "Thanks for that. I'll keep it in mind."

--End Chapter Seven--

_Eh, as my sister would say, I'm not impressed. I'm not really satisfied with most of the chapter. But this was the best I could do__ XP And also...more Rei/Usa! There'll probably be lots more in the next chapter, but there are no guarantees XP But don't worry, readers! After certain events happen (and once school ends. 30-something days left!), updates should be more frequent (because I have an 89 percent definite ending in mind). Remember to review please! :) Til next time_

_Serenity101_


	8. Chapter 8

How Love Should Be

_Summary: Usagi is happily engaged to Mamoru. They're labeled as the perfect couple, so what's wrong? Everything. Minako is a single mother who strives to take care of her children. What happens when someone wants to love her? Everything. How should love really be?_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon._

Chapter Eight

Pain was the first thing Usagi registered that morning. Then, she heard two voices, one of which belonged to Rei. The other belonged to Makoto, who was laughing. They were both telling her to wake up, but she couldn't. Her eyes weren't letting her see anyone until they were ready. However, she felt something heavy on her back, which wasn't permitting her to breathe. Her name was being called again, and this time, she opened her eyes.

She saw Makoto leaning against the wall, laughing uncontrollably. That meant Rei was sitting on top of her. "What the heck? Get off me," Usagi choked out. "Can't you see I'm trying to sleep?"

"I saw Makoto drop you on the floor, but that was about it," Rei answered with a grin. "She fell off the bed!" Makoto retorted, unable to stop laughing. "Yeah, while you tried tickling her. She looked like a rabid animal trying to kill you when you did, right?"

"What are you guys going on about?" Usagi groaned. Rei patted her back as she stood up. "It's time to get up, Usagi. We have lots of work to do." Usagi rolled over on her back and stared up at Rei. "But why do _I_ have to do anything?"

Rei rolled her eyes, knowing Usagi was being serious. "You've been staying here for a whole week, Usagi. You should know the rules by know." Usagi groaned as she stood up and rubbed her head. "I hate the two of you. I really do." Suddenly, Makoto picked Usagi up, making her squeal in surprise. "How about I make everyone a huge breakfast, hmm? I'm sure you would forget about the whole thing by the time we're done."

"Yeah, because when she eats, she thinks with her stomach," Rei teased, earning a glare from the blonde. "And you don't think before you say anything at all," she retorted back. Rei grinned wickedly, knowing she must have hit a nerve. "Looks like the real Usagi has decided to show herself. What took you so long?" Usagi grabbed onto Makoto's shirt, trying not to respond to the miko's mean comments. Makoto sighed and stared up at the ceiling. "Not this again," she said to herself as she got walked out of the room. The tension that Rei had created was very apparent, and Usagi was reaching her limit. No one liked seeing Usagi when she got angry, and the blonde had made it very clear that she wasn't all smiles.

"You okay, Usagi?" Makoto asked softly. "Yeah, I'm just a little hungry, that's all," Usagi answered as she released her friend's shirt. "Besides, I'm mad at the both of you for waking me up so early in the morning." Makoto rolled her eyes with a grin, reminding Usagi of the times she tried raiding the fridge while everyone else was asleep when they were younger. The point that she was trying to make was that Usagi was usually the one to wake up at ungodly hours, so there was no reason for her to be mad at all.

Usagi jumped out of Makoto's arms and walked to the kitchen by herself, wondering why no one wanted to let that go. She sat at the table with a sigh, trying to get her emotions together. She never realized that Makoto and Rei could both irritate her this early in the morning. Sure, she had stayed at the jinja for a week so far, but they weren't as bad as they were being today. "Usagi, you know I was only kidding," Makoto laughed. "Don't classify me with Rei after all of these years." Just then, Rei entered the kitchen and crossed her arms. "Classify? Since when do we group friends into different categories?"

"Since we met each other, I guess," Makoto said. "You'd be in the bitchy category because you're…well, you're bitchy every now and then." Rei gave a sarcastic laugh as she sat across from Usagi. "Is that so?" she grinned. She turned to Usagi, hoping for a good reaction for her next question. "Usagi, what category would you put me in?"

"Irritating."

Rei laughed, noting how Usagi used her word for 'hate.' "Really? What about Makoto?" Usagi didn't answer at first as she looked up at Makoto, who was awaiting her response. After the short pause, she shrugged and said, "I don't know. Let's just say she's an idiot for moving in with you of all people." Rei laughed again, smiling softly as she took Usagi's left hand in her right one and intertwined their fingers. "What's with all this unfounded anger? You know I'm only joking around," she explained. "You stopped talking to me after high school, so I can't help it. I'm not used to being with you for this long anymore."

Usagi glared at Rei for a moment before looking away. Her eyes lost their malice as they stared at Rei's hand. Then, she gave it a gentle squeeze as she asked, "Then should I stay here until you are?" An awkward silence filled the room as Makoto and Rei stared blankly at the blonde. Both were trying to figure out what she was implying even though they had a pretty good idea of what she was trying to say. Feeling like this was something Rei and Usagi should talk about on their own time, Makoto announced that she would begin making breakfast. At that moment, Usagi's eyes wandered about until they found Rei's violet orbs. "Should I?" she asked again.

"Makoto, breakfast can wait. Leave."

Makoto let out a sigh and hoped nothing would happen in her absence. Once she was gone, Rei sighed and shook her head. "Usagi, why would you ask me that kind of question?"

"I don't care if you'd give me a selfish answer, Rei. Do you want me to stay with you or not?"

"Now you're changing the question! Can you be consistent?"

"Answer me, Rei."

"Should you stay? Yeah, just to stay away from Mamoru. Do I want you to for reasons other than him? Yeah, I do."

Rei retracted her hand and crossed her arms, her amethyst eyes staring Usagi down. The blonde gave her a curious look before she spoke. "Now, _you_ answer _me_. Why would you ask me that kind of question?" Usagi shrugged and looked into her lap. "I don't want to go back home – if you can call that place a home," she muttered quietly. "If you want me to stay, you'll give me a reason to stay here a little while longer." Rei closed her eyes and put her hands behind her head, seeming a little disappointed by the other woman's answer. "You can stay here as long as you'd like, Usagi," she droned.

Usagi jumped out of her seat and practically glomped Rei, thanking her for her kindness. Rei knew for a fact Usagi was ignoring the disappointment she felt. What she had just said didn't sound like irritation, and Usagi knew that. Usagi knew her better than anyone – and that was saying something, considering how Makoto was living with her – so the blonde knew which tone in her voice was irritation.

As Usagi skipped out of the kitchen to call Makoto back, Rei suddenly felt like what Usagi said a week ago didn't mean anything to her.

_"May your dreams be filled with lots of love..."_

Yet, if that were so, why would she bring it up? Letting out a sigh of frustration, she pinched the bridge of her nose, mentally asking herself why Usagi wasn't making any sense.

* * *

Three main chores were the top priority of the day: Sweeping the grounds, laundry, and dishes. Usagi had the duty of sweeping the grounds, which she knew would take a very long time. Rei had the duty of laundry (her own laundry actually), leaving Makoto with dishes and her laundry. Work had started at noon, so they were all busy with their assigned chores.

Usagi was grumbling at the fact that she had to work for Rei without getting paid, and Rei was silent as she washed her clothes. Makoto, however, seemed to be making the most of her assigned chore. She hummed a little tune and bobbed her head left and right as if she were actually having fun. Usagi had had way too many seconds earlier that morning, which had created more work for her. However, she thought there was no need to be bitter considering how Usagi was known to eat a whole bunch of food at once.

_Ring, ring!_

Makoto blinked at the sound of the phone ringing, wondering who was calling. She quickly dried her hands and answered the phone. "Hikawa Jinja, how may I help you?"

"_You sound so professional, Makoto!"_

"Comes with the job of working for and living with Rei," Makoto laughed. "So, Minako, what's up?" Makoto walked back to the sink and continued washing the dishes while listening to Minako. Apparently, Minako needed a babysitter, and since Usagi was living with Rei as well (temporarily), it wouldn't matter who kept track of Hana and Yuriko. Makoto agreed, saying it would be her pleasure.

"_So, whatcha doin'?"_

"Washing the dishes. It's a homemaker's job - something you're familiar with - but someone's gotta do it."

"_Ha! See how it feels to clean up after other people's messes?"_

"Unfortunately. But you probably don't know what it's like to clean up after Usagi."

"_Don't worry, I do. Speaking of Usagi, how is she?"_

"She's doing okay. She fell off the bed when I tried waking her up this morning, and Rei almost pissed her off. Other than that, she's the same."

"_Mamoru hasn't tried visiting her, has he?"_

Makoto stared at the plate she was holding strangely as if she were staring at Minako. "No, he hasn't. Why, is there something going on between them?"

"_Yeah, didn't Usagi tell you?"_

"Tell me what?"

"_Oh, I guess she hasn't, heh…I guess I'll see you later then. Bye!"_

Just like that, Minako hung up, leaving Makoto confused. Putting the phone on the counter, she dried her hand and went outside, hoping to find some answers. "Hey, Usagi," she called. The blonde looked over her shoulder and smiled. "What's up, Makoto?" Then, she suddenly pouted. "If you're trying to switch chores with me, go back to the kitchen."

"What have you been keeping from me?"

Usagi tilted her head slightly and asked what the brunette was talking about. "Don't play dumb with me," Makoto said. "Minako called me and said that something was up with you and Mamoru. Tell me what happened." Usagi's face fell. Why did Minako say anything about that? What the hell was she thinking?

"I don't want to talk about it right now, Makoto."

"Then when? I bet you told everyone else. Don't I have a right to know?"

"Please, Makoto, just drop it."

"Aren't I your friend? Why am I _always_ the _last_ person to figure out what's going on?"

_Smack!_

A tingly sensation was felt on Makoto's left cheek. Slowly, she turned back to Usagi, who had just slapped her. The shorter woman glared at her. "This isn't about you, Makoto," Usagi growled. "I know, but I'm only saying that if I'm your friend, I should know what's going on," Makoto argued.

"Well, I said I didn't want to talk about it. What part of that didn't you understand?"

"Usagi, I want to know what happened so that I can help."

"There's nothing you can do, okay?" Usagi sighed as she continued sweeping. "Rei said I could stay here until I'm ready to leave, and that's all I need right now."

"So, that's it? You're never going to tell me what happened?"

"I'll have to eventually but not right now."

Makoto slapped her forehead with her hand and groaned. "I bet even _Ami_ knows about this!" Usagi didn't confirm what the brunette said, knowing that it would only anger her more. Having nothing else to say to her, Makoto angrily stomped off to her workstation and muttered profanities. If Usagi didn't want to say anything, she would get the information through someone else.

* * *

"Hey, Rei, if I made lunch now, would I have to do dishes again after?"

"Nah, Usagi would."

"Eh! Naze?"

"It's only fair to Makoto."

The day's chores were finally done, and the three women were taking their first moment of relaxation. Makoto was making lunch while Rei and Usagi sat at the table. Usagi was pouting as she wondered how she got the job of washing dishes. Rei smiled in amusement, taking some pleasure in the blonde's suffering.

"Well, you're going to be a housewife soon anyway, aren't you, Usagi? Shouldn't you be used to this already?" Makoto asked as innocently as possible. "But why would I need to do that if I had my Mamo-chan to do it for me?" Usagi grinned, putting up a façade since Rei was in front of her. Makoto laughed to herself as if there were something wrong with Usagi's statement. Rei raised her eyebrow at her roommate's strange behavior, but she said nothing.

_Ring, ring!_

As Rei scanned the area for the phone, Makoto answered it quickly since it was on the counter, which was where she had left it earlier. "Hikawa Jinja, how may I help you?"

"If it's a bill collector, hang up!" Rei whispered heatedly, earning a weird look from Makoto. She put her index finger in front of her lips, telling Rei to shut up.

"_Hey, Makoto! How are you?"_

"Hi, Ami. I'm fine, what about you?" Makoto smiled as she proceeded out of the kitchen. She received a teasing look from Usagi and a shake of the head from Rei. Making her way out of the jinja, Ami had said she was feeling alright.

"_Makoto, are you doing anything right now?"_

"I was going to making lunch for Rei and Usagi."

"_Usagi's there?"_

"Yeah, she's staying with Rei and I for a little while."

"_Why, is there something wrong?"_

"That's what I'd like to know. She won't tell me anything."

"_Well, I'm sure she'll tell you eventually."_

Makoto scoffed, knowing Usagi would try her best not to let anything slip. "So, what's on your mind?"

"_Oh, yeah! I wanted to know if you would be able to go out for lunch, but I see you're busy being a mother who strives for your children."_

"My _children_? You've got to be kidding me!" Makoto exclaimed, earning a laugh from Ami. "If Rei was my child, I'd go insane and end up in an asylum!"

"_Rei's not that bad."_

"You try living with her then."

"…_I see your point."_

Makoto grinned, knowing Ami wouldn't survive a week with Rei. The miko always seemed like the voice of reason, but when you stay with her for more than a full day, you start going mad.

"Well, they can feed themselves. I'd love to go out with you."

"_Great! I'll see you soon!"_

"Alright, bye."

Makoto sighed with relief for a moment, thinking she wouldn't have to deal with Usagi and Rei for a little while. Then, she realized for a second that she had promised Minako that she would baby-sit Hana and Yuriko. She snapped her fingers in disappointment at herself and ran off to the kitchen. "Guys, you'll have to make lunch yourselves, I'm going out."

"Now?" Usagi and Rei asked at the same time, both having a whiny tone in their voices just to irritate Makoto a bit. "Hai. And Minako is dropping off Hana and Yuriko. I don't know when. I'll be in my room if anyone needs me." Makoto left the room, having no time to see the reactions of Usagi and Rei. The double announcement was probably upsetting since they had just found out there was no lunch but right now, they weren't important.

"_That_ was a rip-off," Usagi groaned. "I can't believe she just bailed all of a sudden. She was almost done, too." Rei nodded in agreement as she looked over at Makoto's abandoned workstation, but she didn't mind too much. In fact, this would mean she and Usagi would be alone until Hana and Yuriko arrived. "I guess it can't be helped then. Want some ramen?"

"I guess."

"How much would you like?"

"What?"

"How much? I'm sure only one bowl wouldn't satisfy you."

"Rei, are you _trying_ to annoy me?"

"Like I said before, I can't help it."

"No, you're doing this on purpose."

"Why would you say that?"

Usagi didn't answer, thinking about the conclusion she had come up with. She blushed lightly at first. When she realized Rei was waiting for an answer, she blushed even more and attempted to hide her rosy cheeks by putting her head down on the table. She stared blankly at the wall, not wanting Rei to come to her own conclusion just by staring into her eyes. "What?" Rei asked, staring at Usagi curiously.

"You're trying to make me mad purposefully. You want me to yell at you, don't you?"

"Of course not. What would be the point?"

"After that, you want me to run to the bathroom and lock myself in, right? So that you'll be there to apologize and make everything right again?"

Rei grew silent when she realized what Usagi was getting at. Usagi stared at the raven-haired woman out of the corner of her eye, waiting for the miko's next response. Neither said anything for what seemed like eternity. Rei shook her head and sighed. "It seem like a failure this morning because you had calmed down. Just wanted to try again," she said with a little laugh at the end. "Damn. Was it really that obvious?"

"Yeah, just a little bit."

* * *

Ami frowned, knowing she should have seen this coming. When she had called earlier, Makoto noted that Usagi was keeping something from her – the hitting she guessed. Makoto seemed very sure that she too knew the blonde's secret, and that didn't go well with the brunette at all. As the two had lunch outside a café, Makoto was trying to rip the information out of her. Ami loved Makoto, but she didn't want to betray Usagi's trust.

"Come on, Ami! Are you choosing her over me?"

That had done it. Ami could take the pestering and the begging but when asked if she were choosing one over the other, she became highly irritated, if not angry. When Makoto noticed the sudden change in the blue-haired woman's features, she went quiet, waiting for whatever Ami had to say.

"Usagi is our friend, Makoto," she began. "There's no _way_ I'd want to betray her trust. If she said she'd tell you, then she will. So what if you're the last to know? That doesn't mean you're not her friend. If you continue to act selfishly about it, then she _will_ think less of you." Makoto began pouting as she looked away from Ami, acting childishly. She couldn't help it, though. She only felt left out because everyone knew what was going on while she, on the other hand, was left trying to figure things out on her own.

Ami's expression softened into a small smile, finding Makoto's childish behavior somewhat cute. Even though Makoto didn't want to admit it, she knew everything Ami had said was true. "Hey, Makoto," the blue-haired woman called softly. Makoto looked at her – she continued pouting, being the stubborn person she was – and waited for Ami to continue. "I'll give you a hint." Makoto didn't smile, but she had a look of surprise. However, in mere seconds, Ami's swift movements ripped the surprise off her face. Makoto lightly touched her cheek, mentally noting that she had been slapped twice in one day.

* * *

Lunch had been forgotten a long time ago. It was evening now, and Makoto hadn't come back yet. Usagi and Rei didn't care, and they were quite happy Minako hadn't popped up yet. However, at that point in time, that was the only thing they could agree on. The two women were in different rooms, avoiding each other after a fight. Earlier, they discussed Rei's attempts to make Usagi mad in the kitchen. Becoming nostalgic, Rei had told Usagi she was trying to re-create the day she and Usagi became a couple. When asked why, she simply said, "For sentimental reasons." Usagi knew there was more to it than that, but she didn't question her and jokingly gave her an 'A' for effort.

That's when things started to heat up.

Rei had gotten up from her chair and held Usagi's hands in hers. Automatically, Usagi stood up and followed Rei. When the blonde realized they were going to Rei's room, she assumed what would happen: A quick (or lengthy) fling.

Upon entering the room, Rei moved in on the shorter woman's lips. Remembering to close the door behind her, Usagi let Rei have her way with her. However, Rei took Usagi by surprise this time. Rei didn't try ripping her clothes off, which was what Usagi was preparing herself for. Instead, they engaged in a make out session and nothing more. It was simple and innocent, which was what Rei was going for.

"Ne, Rei?" Usagi whispered into the kiss. Rei let out a grunt in response. "Do like me?"

"Naze?"

Usagi stopped the kiss and said, "Well, whenever we're alone, something like this happens…and I want to know if it's because you like me." Rei pulled Usagi a little closer and nodded. "I do."

"How much?"

"More than words can describe."

Usagi stared at the floor, feeling like those words were a lie. They couldn't be true, could they? "Then, why am I with Mamoru?" she whispered. Rei frowned, wondering where Usagi was going with this. "Do _you_ like me, Usagi?" she asked. Looking up, Usagi merely shrugged. "Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't," she answered. "There are times when I really hate you, but you make things better again in the blink of an eye."

"Hate me? Why do you hate me? What have I done?"

Usagi pushed Rei away from her, staring at the floor again. She bit her lip, mentally asking herself if Rei had really forgotten. "My eighteenth birthday…you ruined it. You ruined everything." Rei sighed, attempting to embrace Usagi, but the blonde pushed her away. "You say you like me…but that's just a lie, isn't it?"

"Usagi…"

Usagi opened the door behind her as she glared at Rei. "If you really liked me, none of this – us – would have happened," she murmured darkly. Rei raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. Now, Usagi was pushing it.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

"Don't blame the tragedy you call a life on me. _This_ wouldn't have happened if _you_ hadn't come to _me_."

Usagi sighed, knowing this argument would never end at this rate. "You're right. My mistake." She left the room, slamming the door behind her. Rei gritted her teeth, having the sudden urge to punch the wall. Why had Usagi decided to get upset now? Despite how long she had stayed here, she picked _today_ to get upset? Did that make any sense? "Damn that girl," she growled. Violently dropping down to the bed, she lied down and turned to the wall. "See I if I help you ever again."

* * *

Makoto walked up to the jinja, rubbing her cheek with a blank expression. Ami had brought her home at least half a minute ago. The tall woman had walked slowly up the stone steps, contemplating Ami's actions. She had slapped her rather hard, but she still didn't understand why. What surprised Makoto even more was the fact that her own girlfriend actually hit her. Who would have thought sweet little Ami-chan would actually hit anyone?

"But what was the hint?" she muttered, making her way towards Rei's room. She knocked on the door, pondering her question until she heard Rei grunt. She opened the door slightly and announced her presence. She asked if Minako had showed yet, which Rei responded 'no' to. Because of her own thoughts, Makoto didn't notice Rei's mood, which was different before she left.

Heading to her room, the brunette thought about what the hint could have been. Ami hadn't left her with much, considering how she only acted like nothing had happened after the slap. It was awkward from then on, but Makoto tried to act like the slap did faze her at all.

Makoto entered her room and found Usagi lying on the floor. The blonde stared at her for a moment, but eventually turned back to the TV. "You don't mind me being in here, do you?" she asked softly. "No," Makoto sighed. Lying on the bed, she stared at the ceiling, trying to figure out what Ami meant.

"You know, Makoto, I figured out why Rei was trying to make me mad."

"Oh."

"She said it was because she liked me."

"Oh."

"That's obviously a lie, though."

"Oh."

"I swear, sometimes I just can't stand her."

"Oh."

"Are you even listening to me?"

Makoto looked at Usagi and nodded. "Did you have a fight or something?" she asked. Usagi shrugged, seeming unsure. "I guess you could call it that." There was silence for a few moments until Usagi made an observation. "What about you?"

"Huh?"

"Did you have a fight with someone?"

"No, why?"

"You have a bruise on your cheek. Did someone hit you or something?"

Makoto touched her cheek again, shaking her head in response. That's when it hit her.

"_I'll give you a hint."_

The slap…that was the hint! Sitting up immediately, she stared at Usagi, who suddenly seemed worried about her. "What's wrong?" she asked. "I'm fine, but what about you?"

"What do you mean?" Usagi inquired, raising an eyebrow. Makoto kneeled next to the blonde, holding her by the shoulders. "Makoto?"

"Usagi, does Mamoru hit you?"

--End Chapter Eight--

**Warning: Long A/N! **

_So yeah, sorry for the wait. I started high school, and I want to focus on school a little more now that everything I do is going to count. And I know I said I would update more in the summer, but I wasn't sitting at my computer all the time, and I actually went places (like how towards the end of August, I went out of state). Beside high school, I've actually begun editing some of my older stories (like The Object of Her Affection), so things are explained better and most typos are gone (but I'm not done yet, so there's still more to do DX)._

_Also, if you are confused at all about this chapter…then that's actually a good thing (for me at least). If you understand what's going on to some extent, then good for you. I know you're probably going "WTF What about Usagi's eighteenth birthday WHO CARES!!" Well, that will be answered soon enough. Everything will be unfolding soon, so just sit tight._

_Ah, and one last thing: I might start throwing information at you, so if the next chapter is really, really confusing, that means I'm throwing information at you. That way, you can try piecing everything together. If you don't want to do that, then just look out for the updates. I've noticed that I'm losing my touch with this whole writing business (I remember the good old days when there was a whole bunch of typos in one chapter and shit never made a whole lot of sense, but people like it anyway lol XD) so I'm trying to figure out what went wrong and how to fix it. I'm was a little apprehensive about posting this chapter because of that, but I went ahead and posted, just to see what you thought. So wish me luck with my new quest to better writing, and please tell me what you think of the chapter! Til next time_

_Serenity101_


	9. Chapter 9

How Love Should Be

_Summary: Usagi is happily engaged to Mamoru. They're labeled as the perfect couple, so what's wrong? Everything. Minako is a single mother who strives to take care of her children. What happens when someone wants to love her? Everything. How should love really be?_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon._

Chapter Nine

Minako walked into Rei's room without knocking, announcing her arrival loudly. Hana and Yuriko stepped into the room, ready to greet their Rei-sama, but they noticed the miko was lying in bed, the blanket covering her whole body. Minako frowned, realizing she was asleep. Calling the girls to follow her further into the jinja, the three blondes walked to Makoto's room, hoping it would be livelier there. This time, Minako knocked, hoping Makoto would answer.

"Come in."

Minako blinked at hearing two voices answering at the same time, but she opened the door anyway. Usagi was sitting on the bed, playing with Makoto's short hair while she sat on the floor. They both looked in Minako's direction and smiled. As the twins ran to them, Minako noticed that their smiles seemed a little forced. However, she decided to ignore that detail and forced a smile of her own.

"Oh, good!" she exclaimed. "After seeing Rei knocked out on the bed like that, I was hoping one of you was still up." Makoto raised a questioning eyebrow as she held Hana in her arms. "You mean she's sleeping, right?" she asked, slightly worried. Minako nodded. "But I'm surprised she's asleep at this hour." Makoto nodded as if to agree and turned back to the TV.

"So, where are you going, Minako?" Usagi asked. Minako shrugged, saying she wasn't going anywhere special. Usagi noticed Minako was avoiding the answer. There had to be a reason for the babysitting, so the other woman wasn't going just anywhere. "If the place isn't special, why would you need us to watch the twins?" she interrogated. Minako smiled, a glint of annoyance in her eyes. It confirmed to Usagi that she was, in fact, going out somewhere and was selfishly dumping her children with her and Makoto.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" she said simply. She bid everyone farewell and went on her way. Makoto lifted Hana and stared up at Usagi questioningly. She had a clue of what Usagi was thinking. She flashed a little smile, which was returned. "You're a nosy kid, you know that?" she asked. Usagi laughed, bouncing Yuriko on her knee. "I'm nosy, but I'm not a kid," she stated as a matter-of-factly. "You on the other hand…"

Makoto playfully frowned and sighed. She could never win an argument, and it was all because of her age. "We'll be nosy kids together, alright?" she suggested. Usagi nodded and gave her the thumbs up. Hana and Yuriko looked on curiosity, not understanding what was going on at all. How was it that Makoto and Usagi were kids when they were grown-ups? That was terribly confusing.

"When she comes back, we'll get her," Usagi continued. Makoto snickered, her evil genius showing itself. "Why wait? We'll call her later." From then on, a plan was formed. Sure, it was juvenile, and it invaded Minako's personal life. However, they didn't care. As long as they were having fun, that was all that mattered.

* * *

"_Usagi, does Mamoru hit you?"_

_Usagi smiled, and then covered her mouth as she began giggling. "What? Where did that come from?" she asked, playing off Makoto's question. Makoto's grip on her shoulders tightened, and her features became darker. "Usagi, I'm being serious. Is he hitting you?" she whispered slowly. Usagi's playful expression disappeared. A frown formed on her lips, and she looked away._

"_How'd you figure it out?"_

"_So, he is?"_

"_Yeah, but how'd you figure it out? Did Ami tell you?"_

"_No, but she gave me a clue."_

_Makoto pointed to the red spot on her cheek. "But that doesn't matter right now," she said. "When did this start? How long has this been going on?" Usagi suddenly embraced the brunette, taking her off guard. Not knowing what to do, she pulled her closer, reassuring her that everything was okay._

"_A really long time."_

"_How long?"_

_Usagi hugged Makoto tighter, not wanting to answer. However, now that Makoto knew about the situation, she had to know the truth. Now, everything would be out in the open…well, almost everything._

"_Since I was nineteen."_

_Makoto bit her tongue and glared at the TV, visualizing Mamoru's face. "That bastard. How dare he?" she growled. Usagi pulled away and stared into her emerald eyes, holding her hand tight. "Promise me you won't do anything to him," she pleaded. "Promise me." Makoto frowned, not knowing why Usagi would want to forgive him._

"_I promise."_

_Usagi smiled and tackled Makoto, causing them to fall back on the floor. Makoto laughed, happy to know that Usagi was still her friend._

* * *

"Hey, Mamoru, it's me. I was wondering if you'd like to pick Usagi up tomorrow…yeah, she said she was ready to go back home…alright, see you then."

Rei hung up and threw the phone to the floor. She stared at it as she sat on the counter in the kitchen, a sadistic grin on her face. If Usagi wanted to treat her like this, then the miko would give her something to blame her about.

* * *

Minako sat in the passenger's seat of Motoki's car, feeling more relaxed than usual. It was odd, considering how she hated Motoki and yet, she was feeling like she didn't need to be on high alert with him. This was their second meeting, but it felt weird to be relaxed like this.

"So, where are we going tonight?" Minako asked. Motoki smiled, happy she finally asked that question. "Well, we're going back to your house. We won't actually go inside. We're going on a walk." Minako tilted her head to the idea of a walk around the block. It was simple, romantic, and involved no alcohol. Motoki was actually giving this 'date' some thought.

Suddenly, Minako heard her cell phone ring in her pocket. She took it out and answered it quickly.

"Hello?"

"_Minako, where are you right now?"_

"Usagi?"

"_Where are you, Minako?"_

"None of your business."

"_Inquiring minds would like to know!"_

Minako was caught off guard when she heard Makoto's voice in the background. It was obvious that the two were ganging up on her now. However, whether they were asking out of random boredom or just because they thought she was going out with someone, she didn't know. For now, she would have to ignore them and hope they didn't call her again.

"Too bad."

Minako hung up and sighed. Those girls would regret this later.

* * *

Hana stood outside the kitchen, her heart beating rapidly. She was leaning up against the wall like a ninja getting ready to attack. When she was in Makoto's room, they had all heard a _bang_. She had decided to volunteer to see what had happened, but now it didn't seem like a good idea. What if there was a burglar inside? What if they kidnapped her and took her away? The little girl gulped, hoping none of those thoughts would become a reality.

Slowly poking her head into the kitchen, she only found Rei, sitting on the counter. It was as though she had spaced out before Hana had come. Now, the miko was alert and staring at the small child, no emotion evident on her face. It made Hana afraid to enter, remembering why she was scared of the miko in the first place. However, the raven-haired woman made the first move and jumped down to the floor, picking up the phone that had been on floor next to the table.

"Is there something wrong, Hana?"

Hana jumped at the sound of her name. Stepping closer to Rei, she murmured, "Well, everyone heard something fall, and I came to see what was wrong." Rei looked at her again but with a smile this time. "There's nothing to worry about, so you can go back to the others." She walked past the girl, who began following her.

"Rei-sama? Why aren't you happy?"

Rei stopped in her tracks, contemplating the question. It seemed funny that this little girl was asking her why she wasn't happy. Turning around, she laughed. "Eh? Do I look unhappy to you?"

"Yeah. You became Kowai Miko just now."

Rei laughed again, not understanding how one of _Minako's_ children could see right through her. Maybe children in general had the sixth sense and used it whenever possible.

"Really? Gomen, Hana. I was just thinking about things was all."

"About what?"

"Why don't you ask your aunt and tell me what she says, okay?"

Hana smiled and nodded. With that, she ran off to Makoto's room, happy to do something for her Rei-sama. Rei shook her head as she entered her room, her smile disappearing from her lips. Frankly, she could care less about what Usagi had to say, but she had to give Hana something to do. After this, Hana would leave her alone, giving her time to reflect on the day where she made a mistake.

Lying on the bed, she waited for Hana's return. To her surprise, Hana came back a minute later. This girl was fast. "She said she doesn't know, and she doesn't care." Rei let out a little laugh and stared up at the ceiling. "Oh well," she shrugged. "Her loss." Giving Hana a pat on the head, she asked the girl to leave so she could get some rest. Hana did just that, thinking Rei had gotten a little better.

That wasn't the case.

"Three years didn't teach you anything, huh, Usagi?" Rei sighed. "The relationship was pointless then, wasn't it?"

* * *

_Finals, they were the worst time of the school year. That meant students really need to focus on their schoolwork, whether they had been for the entire year or not. For Usagi, Ami, and Makoto, it was that time again. They studied at the Hikawa Jinja, where the daily study sessions took place._

_Minako and Rei were quiet at first since their finals were over at their schools. Of course, they could have helped their friends, but finals drained them of everything they had. However, Rei had enough energy to stir up trouble. She began teasing Usagi just as she normally did on a regular basis. This time, things went horribly wrong. Whether Usagi was stressing out about finals or she had simply had enough was a mystery to everyone because she lost it. She screamed at Rei, swearing and slamming her hands down on the table. Knowing her friends and her sister considered her behavior strange, she ran off, which caused Minako to speak._

"_You need to apologize," the remaining blonde said after a short silence. Rei didn't move, still trying to figure out what just happened. She had never seen Usagi react that way to her teasing. Usually, the blonde would pout and stick out her tongue. Then, Ami would break it up and try to get everyone back to the task at hand._

"_Seriously, Rei, go," Makoto agreed. "That wasn't fair at all." Ami nodded. When the miko didn't get up, Minako grabbed her chin and turned Rei's head to face her. "If you don't correct your mistake, I swear to Kami-sama I'll…"_

_Rei slapped Minako's hand away and scoffed. She knew Minako wouldn't do anything. However, she knew what had to be done, so she went off to find Usagi. The first thing that came to mind was the bathroom because there was no other place that could offer any kind of privacy. Thankfully, she heard crying from that direction, which meant she was right. Once she was in front of the door, she sighed and began knocking._

"_Usagi, I'm sorry about what I said. I didn't mean anything by it."_

_Usagi didn't respond._

_Rei tried opening the door, but it was locked. Sighing again, she sat down at the door, leaning her head against it. "Well, if you want me to leave, you're out of luck. I'm not moving from this spot until you come out."_

_And there she sat. She wasn't sure how long she and Usagi remained stationary, but it was long enough to bring the others out of Rei's room. Minako gave Rei a glare that said, "Get off your lazy ass and do something!" Makoto sighed and leaned against the wall, and Ami frowned. "Aren't you going console her?" she asked._

"_Nah. I'm going to let her come out when she wants to."_

"_I thought you liked her, Rei," Minako stated, earning a shocked glance from Makoto and Ami. "Aren't you going to do something to prove that to her?" Rei laughed as she closed her eyes, finding something amusing. "I would, but I need her to open the door first." As if that was what Usagi was waiting for, she opened the door. Rei fell backward, her eyes meeting with Usagi's._

"_Why? Why do you tease me like that? Don't you ever think about how I might feel when you say things? Do you even think before you speak?"_

"_No, I suppose I don't. I always think you understand that I'm kidding because you don't say otherwise. I'm sorry I hurt your feelings."_

_Rei sat up and smiled a little. "I'm a clueless idiot, and I don't know how to handle myself when you're around. I end up making you angry, but that's not I want. I want to make you smile and laugh all the time." She outstretched her hand. "Will you accept my apology?"_

"_An apology and…a confession? A confession coming from Hino Rei?"_

_Rei waited for Usagi to make the next move. The blonde stared down at her as if she was going to just walk away and forget this happened. However, she grabbed Rei's hand to help her up and smiled back. "I'll accept both." Before Rei had the time to react, Usagi placed her hands on her shoulders and kissed the miko._

_Suddenly, finals didn't seem so serious anymore._

* * *

"You know, Motoki, you can stop holding my hand now."

"Oh? Sorry."

Minako let out a sigh of relief when Motoki stopped holding her hand. However, he grabbed her shoulder and pulled her closer to him, which agitated Minako even more. Motoki grinned and kissed her temple. Instead of pushing him away, Minako stayed in his arms without complaints. After all, they were 'friends.'

Currently, the two were walking down the street away from Minako's house. They had no idea where to walk to, but they decided to go anywhere as long as one of them was paying attention to the direction they were going in.

Though Motoki and Minako didn't talk a great deal, he seemed to be enjoying himself. Having Minako all to himself was just awesome! He hadn't been with alone with Minako in years, but it was almost like old times. If only things could be the way they were before…

"Motoki, why did you decide to come back now? It's been almost five years."

Motoki tilted his head slightly, Minako's voice snapping him out of his thoughts. He repeated the question in his head and thought about an answer that was true and wouldn't upset her. "I felt like I needed to take responsibility and own up to my actions, but I realized that long after I moved," he answered. Then, he sighed. "I was really stupid, but when I finally matured, I understood that I couldn't just leave you and the girls alone without any support."

Minako laughed. "Took you a while," she teased. Then, she got serious, staring Motoki in the eyes. "But you're too late. If I wanted to take care of the girls _by myself_, I would do it _by myself_." The blonde stopped walking and removed his arm from her shoulder. "Even if that were the case, I wouldn't want you to suddenly jump into the picture just because you're ready. You should have been ready a long time ago.

"I've already found someone else, so you shouldn't be wasting your time."

"Do they love you like I do?"

"So you love me _now_? Where was that so-called _love_ when I was in labor? Huh?"

Motoki's mouth opened to speak, but he was interrupted by Minako's ringing cell phone. The blonde sighed with frustration and rolled her eyes when she saw that it was Makoto who was calling. Why had these two decided to play games at a time like this?

"What do you want?"

"_Don't get us wrong, Minako-babe. Usagi and I are only concerned."_

"Concerned my ass. Why are you harassing me?"

"_Usagi says you've needed babysitters more often, and your children miss you."_

"_We miss you!"_

Minako rolled her eyes, not understanding how Makoto could easily influence her kids.

"_Is there someone we should know about?"_

"None of your business, Kino."

"_Oh, Minako, you're making this harder for me, you know that?"_

Minako sighed and said she would be back soon anyway. Hanging up, she groaned, hating Makoto and her sister for being such idiots. She simply told Motoki that they would continue their conversation later, turning around to head back home. However, Motoki stopped her.

"Kino? As in Kino Makoto?"

"Uh huh."

"And you're going back because of her?"

Minako frowned thoughtfully, thinking about what Makoto had said before. Being with Motoki like this _was_ making things harder for Makoto. She had told Makoto to kiss her in front of Ami – their best friend – and yet, here she was with Motoki. This really wasn't fair to her.

"Yeah, I guess you can say that."

Motoki raised an eyebrow at that response. What did that mean exactly? His annoyance rose within him, telling him to do something about this unlucky situation. "I won't let anyone interrupt our time together, Minako," he said, possessively holding the shorter women in his arms. Minako wasn't too pleased at his behavior. That was made obvious by the irritation in her eyes. Motoki simply grinned at her, knowing she would lose this battle.

He had the keys to the car.

Minako pushed away from him and slapped him. The next thing Motoki knew, he was in a world of hurt.

* * *

Rei opened her eyes slowly, reluctant to wake up unless it was morning. If Mamoru wasn't there to set her plan in motion, she didn't want to wake up just yet. Staring at the clock, she noticed it was technically morning, but it was still dark outside. Sighing lightly, she stood up cautiously, feeling like she wasn't supposed to move at this hour. Stretching, she left the room and slowly walked to the bathroom. She tried twisting the doorknob, but the door was locked.

"The hell?" she muttered groggily. "Who's in there?"

No answer.

"Come on, I have to pee!"

Rei wobbled around in her spot, wondering who would be in the bathroom so early in the morning. When no one came out, she groaned. She didn't want to disturb whoever else was sleeping by banging on the door, so she didn't know how she was going to get in the bathroom and do her business.

"A, i, u, e, ohayo…ka, ki, ku, ke, konnichiwa…"

Suddenly, the door opened, causing Rei to jump in surprise. The person who was in the bathroom the whole time was Usagi. She stared at Rei as if she had some kind of physical abnormality, which the miko didn't appreciate. "I had fun as a kid before I was forced to grow up, thank you very much," she stated proudly. Usagi shrugged as she walked past her, murmuring, "Whatever."

Watching the blonde, Rei noticed Usagi was actually going to the kitchen. 'Probably going to stuff her face with food,' she thought, rolling her eyes as she walked into the bathroom. However, she couldn't help but wonder why Usagi locked herself in like that. Minutes later when Rei emerged from the bathroom, her curiosity got the best of her.

Walking to the kitchen, she found Usagi there, sitting at the table with her head down. Leaning against the wall, she crossed her arms and sighed. "You can't sleep in here, Usagi," she said, hoping to get the blonde's attention. Usagi stared up at Rei for a moment and put her head down. "I don't want to deal with you, Rei," came her muffled reply. "Just leave me alone."

"What? Is Makoto really that bad of a roommate?"

"I can't sleep – no, we both can't sleep. She won't stop watching TV or stop talking to herself, and I am _very_ tired. I just can't fall asleep, though."

Rei nodded, wondering why Makoto would do that so late at night. Either she was just not being considerate of Usagi, or she was upset and was trying to figure something out. Being the kind of person Makoto was, Rei knew it couldn't be the former. From the sounds of it, she and Makoto seemed to have had lots of fun when Hana and Yuriko were here. Something had to be wrong.

Cautiously, the raven-haired woman grabbed a chair and sat down. Usagi didn't move, apparently accepting her presence. There was silence for a while, neither of them having much to say. As each second went by, their silence became more awkward, and there was only one way to fix that: Someone had to talk first. With that realization, they wondered who would speak next.

That thought had immediately turned the silence into a game. Whoever talked first was the loser, and then maybe – just maybe – they could have a serious conversation. Usagi, whose fingers were hitting the table with rhythm, had indicated the start of the game. Rei saw that as her being impatient, waiting for her to talk.

After a minute or two, Usagi seemed to be winning because her head was down. She didn't have to look around in the dark, trying to figure out what say. Whatever she thought, Rei couldn't guess because her face was hidden. Sighing, Rei gave up this game, letting Usagi win the round.

"I see you're still mad."

No response.

"I really do like you, Usagi. Things were just complicated then."

A grunt.

"I didn't want to share you. I had to let you go."

Usagi's head finally went up, but Rei couldn't see her expression clearly in the dark. She had the feeling that Usagi was glaring at her, which she wasn't. Actually, Usagi's expression was completely blank. The word _share_ was the only thing she cared about. She focused her tired mind on it, wanting to know what Rei meant by _share_.

Rei sighed, thinking that Usagi would never believe her if she told the other woman how she felt. "Consider this, Usagi. If I really didn't like you, I wouldn't have gone out with you," she said as she stood up from her chair. "What would have been the point?"

Before she had the chance to leave, she felt Usagi hold her from behind. She questioned Usagi's behavior. In response, Usagi squeezed her tighter and asked, "Why would you break my heart like that?"

"Ask Minako."

Usagi released the miko and sighed, not happy with that answer. She bid Rei goodnight, intent on getting rest and hoping Makoto was asleep now. However, Rei stepped in front of her, preventing her from going any farther. She intertwined her fingers with Usagi's warm ones. The shorter woman mentally questioned Rei's actions, but she didn't move away. She was curious to see what would happen next.

"Usagi…if you stay with me…right here, right now…I won't break your heart. I promise."

Usagi stared at the floor, contemplating the options she had. She could say _yes_ and trust Rei and give her another chance, or she could say _no_ and be miserable for the rest of her life. She mentally grinned at those options, which now seemed like a no-brainer.

"Promise?"

Rei lifted the blonde's head up and responded with a kiss.

--End Chapter Nine--

_Quick update XD Now first of all, the whole a,i,u,e, ohayo thing was something my Sensei made my class sing in class while learning Hiragana, so if you think that was weird, that wasn't my idea (for once)! Anyway, because things are coming together now, writing is becoming a little easier (which means no writers' block!), so maybe I can do the next chapter as quickly as I did this one. Please, share your thoughts on this chapter :) Til next time_

_Serenity101_


	10. Chapter 10

How Love Should Be

_Summary: Usagi is happily engaged to Mamoru. They're labeled as the perfect couple, so what's wrong? Everything. Minako is a single mother who strives to take care of her children. What happens when someone wants to love her? Everything. How should love really be?_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon._

Chapter Ten

_Ring!_

Minako and the twins became alert when they heard the doorbell. Who could be visiting so early in the morning? It was time for breakfast, and that was the first part of family time. It was usually uninterrupted, and they would peacefully have a nice breakfast together – that is, if the girls weren't starting a fight. The three blondes looked at each other for a moment before Minako went to answer the door.

_Ring!_

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming," Minako sighed as she grabbed the doorknob. She gave it a twist and pulled the door open. It was only Makoto, and she seemed angry. She entered the house and closed the door behind her. Before Minako was able to ask what was going on, she pushed Minako against wall. The brunette grabbed her hands to make sure there would be no escape.

They stared deeply into each other's eyes, and that made Minako breathless. Flashes of erotic images of Makoto taking her right there went through her mind. She couldn't get rid of them even if she wanted to. Makoto just looked so sexy with her angry face. A kiss would end the tension easily, but Minako couldn't do that because that wasn't part of the plan.

"Why would you do that to me?"

Of course, that was the first thing to come out of Makoto's mouth. After Minako had picked the twins up yesterday, Makoto had confronted her about her being with Motoki. Apparently, the girls had told her and Usagi about him before she had gotten back. That wasn't a good thing on Minako's part.

"I don't love him, Makoto. We're not doing anything," the blonde tried to explain. "The hell you aren't," Makoto scoffed, rolling her eyes. "You've said that before and look what happened." Minako looked down at the floor, wondering how Makoto could just barge into her house and make her feel bad about her actions. She had no right to do that.

"You're seriously playing with my heart, Minako. Don't."

"Well, what about you, huh?" Minako shot back, looking up at the tall woman. "It's bad when I do something you don't like, but when it's the other way around, it doesn't matter? Is that it?" Makoto released Minako's hands and snaked her arms around the shorter woman's waist. Their lips were dangerously close. Minako's heart pounded in her chest. She hoped Makoto wouldn't do anything stupid.

"What _I_ do is a response to what _you_ do," she said. "Fool around with Motoki, and I stay with Ami." Minako buried her face in the crook of Makoto's neck, kissing her soft skin lightly. "It's a bet; it's just a game," she whispered. "It ends on the girls' birthday. You know when that is, right?"

"Yeah."

Minako looked up and noticed the twins watching from the kitchen. They hid from her sight when they were spotted. That meant this conversation would have to end soon. She didn't want the twins to get any ideas.

"He'll leave me alone on that day. Then, maybe…"

Minako gave Makoto a peck on the cheek.

"Maybe you can make me yours, too. A win-win situation."

"What about Ami? Win-_lose_ situation," Makoto corrected. Minako shrugged and smirked. "She'll get over it." Then, Minako broke away from the brunette's hold on her and opened the door. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to finish eating breakfast with Hana and Yuriko," she said. Makoto stared at her blankly for a moment before moving towards the door. Minako was just an unbelievable woman.

However, that was one thing Makoto loved about her.

* * *

_Usagi felt on top of the world. Today was her birthday, and it also marked the third year of her relationship with Rei. That meant that Rei would give her more than just a birthday present later. Grinning at that naughty thought, she walked towards the Hikawa Jinja with Makoto and Ami. They had been ordered to keep Usagi away for a little while by Rei, and that was just what they did. Now, it was time for everything to begin._

_Makoto put Usagi in a headlock, noticing that grin. "No dirty thoughts!" she exclaimed. "Not even for the birthday girl." Ami giggled as they went up the steps. "Ami-chan, tell Mako-chan to get off me!" Usagi shouted. "I want to see my Rei!"_

_Ami gave Makoto a stern, yet playful look. Makoto laughed and released Usagi, who ran up the rest of the steps. Following close behind, Makoto and Ami told her to slow down. They didn't know what Rei's surprise was, but they wanted to make sure Usagi was as surprised as Rei wanted her to be._

_Moments later, all three were standing in front of Rei's room, wondering what Rei was planning for the birthday girl. However, they heard a voice behind the door, and that voice didn't belong to Rei. Listening closer, they realized it was Minako's voice. Opening the door, Usagi closed her eyes, hoping she wouldn't see what she thought she would. Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes. They grew wide at the sight before them._

_Rei and Minako were on the bed, their shirts on the floor. Seeing her friends at the door, Minako pulled Rei closer and grinned. Rei didn't seem fazed by her friends catching her in the act. That's what made Usagi angry. She didn't say a word because she didn't need to. It was obvious to both her and Rei that their relationship was over._

* * *

Usagi opened her eyes slowly. The first thing she saw was Rei's sleeping face. It was a beautiful sight to behold, it truly was. When Rei wasn't being a bitch, she was the sweetest, most amazing person Usagi had ever known. If Rei had acted that way all the time and practiced a thing called _fidelity_, Usagi probably would have stayed with the miko. Well, they should be fine now that they were starting over.

Brushing Rei's bangs out her face, Usagi smiled and sighed contently. She planted a short kiss on the raven-haired woman's lips and snuggled closer. Their naked bodies were tangled in a mess of love on the bed, and Usagi loved it. With Mamoru, it wasn't like this. They couldn't stay in bed after a night of love making because they never _made love_, and chances were that they weren't even in bed. Something like this moment was special. Waking up to such a beautiful person was a special thing. Looking at a face of love was a special thing. Knowing that there was true love in the room was a special thing. These special things, she couldn't have them with Mamoru. She and him were like water and oil – things just couldn't work. She and Rei, on the other hand, were different. They worked well together, and Usagi didn't want to lose that for anything.

A groan was heard coming from Rei, which meant she was starting to wake up. She rubbed her eyes and groaned some more. Usagi called Rei's name softly and rubbed her arm with a gentle touch. Shifting a little bit so that her back was on the bed, Rei finally opened her eyes. Usagi hovered over her with a smile.

"Morning," Usagi said softly. Rei moaned as she ran her fingers down the blonde's bare back. "You're still here," she murmured. Usagi giggled and kissed her tenderly. When they pulled apart, Usagi lay beside her and rested her head on Rei's shoulder. "Of course I am," she whispered. "Why wouldn't I be?" Rei let out a laugh as she felt Usagi's hand rubbing her stomach. "Being with you is like dream."

"Did last night feel like a dream?"

Rei suddenly pinned Usagi down with a devilish grin. "No, it felt like heaven." The miko leaned down towards Usagi and planted a kiss on her lips. Something told Usagi that she and Rei would repeat last night's events, and she didn't mind at all.

Just as things were getting good, the door opened. Rei groaned with frustration. She didn't like being interrupted at times like this. "Makoto, learn how to…" The miko wasn't able to finish her sentence when she saw who was standing at the door. Usagi's eyes widened in initial shock. Then, she glared at the intruder.

"What are you doing here, Mamoru?"

Mamoru quickly turned his back to the two women, afraid he would get a nosebleed. "Maybe I should come back another time," he muttered. "We can talk later." The women watched Mamoru leave, hearing his footsteps get quieter the further he went. Looking up at the miko, Usagi asked, "What do you think he meant by that?"

"He probably wants to talk you into going home."

Usagi smiled at the thought. "Maybe," she agreed. "But you wouldn't let me go anyway, would you?" Rei shook her head as she pecked the blonde's lips. At that moment, Rei realized just how bad she messed up.

* * *

It was noon, and there was nothing to do.

Makoto lied on her bed, holding her cell phone in her hand. She stared at it and let out a sigh from time to time. At the moment, she was thinking about hanging out with Minako, Hana, and Yuriko. Maybe she would find out more about the whole Motoki thing if Minako chose to talk about it. Groaning, Makoto knew that wouldn't work. Minako wouldn't want to just talk about it because that would ruin the whole outing.

The brunette wanted to know more about what was going on. It had to be more than a _just_ _a_ _game_. How was she going to get that information? Usagi probably didn't know anything, and the twins didn't seem to know more than Motoki's name. Rei and Ami were out of the question because they didn't even know about this.

After giving this dilemma some thought, she suddenly smiled. She had cooked up a plan that would force Minako to talk to her about Motoki. However, there would be a few extra people involved. Quickly, Makoto dialed Minako's number and waited for her to pick up.

"_Aino Residence. Aino Minako speaking."_

"Minako?"

"_If this is about Motoki…"_

"You want to play volleyball?"

"_What?"_

"You, me, and the others. We'll play volleyball together. Like old times."

"…_I may be rusty…but I'll win. You know, like old times."_

Makoto grinned. "Yeah, okay. Meet us at the Jinja. Ja." Hanging up, the woman chuckled to herself, feeling like she accomplished something. Now, she had to see if Ami could come, and she had to force Usagi and Rei to go. Sitting up, she dialed Ami's number and hoped she was available.

* * *

When Rei heard _his_ voice, she practically froze up.

Mamoru had the _nerve_ to call her after what happened that morning. Was he insane? Sure, this was better than him showing up again, but what if Usagi had answered the phone? Then what? If Mamoru were actually able to get Usagi to listen to him, there was no telling what the blonde would do.

With Usagi currently napping on the bed, Rei quietly left the room and headed for the kitchen.

"Why would you call me _now_?"

"_You said Usagi wanted to come home. What the hell was that?"_

"To make a long story short, Usagi and I were mad at each other," Rei explained. "By calling you and lying to you, I would get back at her. As you saw earlier, though, we made up…made out…and made love."

"…_Let me talk to her. I'll convince her to come home. Then, _we'll_ make up, make out, and make love."_

Rei rolled her eyes. If Mamoru thought he was going to win just like that, he was dead wrong. "She's not available," she said. "But make no mistake, Mamoru; I _will_ keep Usagi away from you."

"_Arranged marriage, Rei. She's bound to me."_

"We'll see about that."

Rei hung up and clenched her teeth. If Mamoru thought he could take Usagi away from her, he could just try it. No matter what, Usagi would be hers, now and always.

Sighing, she proceeded out of the kitchen only to bump into Makoto. Both women muttered apologies to each other quickly. Just as Rei was about to walk by Makoto, the tall brunette stepped in front of her.

"What is it, Makoto?" she asked. "You're playing volleyball today," Makoto stated. "No ifs, ands, or buts. Got it?" Rei was going to retort back by noting she was the one who bossed others around because she was the boss. However, Makoto covered her mouth and stared deeply into the miko's eyes. "You _are_ going to play volleyball, and you are going to have lots of fun."

Rei nodded slowly, fearing the look in Makoto's eyes. She felt like there was no way to get out of this situation. Makoto smiled and continued inside the kitchen. "And tell Usagi she's playing, too." Walking away, Rei thought about what just happened. Why was Makoto so eager to play volleyball?

* * *

Hana and Yuriko were in their rooms, putting on the clothes their mother had picked out for them. They had been informed that they were going out to have some fun with the others. It would be nice to have everyone gathered, Minako had said. It would be like their birthday party, just without the balloons, the presents, and the cake. Both girls thought it would be fun, but something more important was on their minds.

"You saw what I saw, right?" Hana asked as she put her shirt on. "When Makoto-sama was here? Yeah," Yuriko replied. She pulled her pants up and jumped on the bed. She put her shirt on and waited for her sister to talk. "Mama and Makoto-sama…" Hana murmured thoughtfully. "You don't think they're like Auntie Usagi and Uncle Mamoru, do you?"

Yuriko's eyes widened at the thought. She jumped off the bed and grabbed her sister's shoulders, preventing her from putting her pants on. Yuriko brought Hana closer as if to tell her a secret. "That's not possible!" she whispered heatedly. "They're both girls, and they can't have babies together, so it's just not possible."

"How do you know?" Hana asked. "You don't even know where babies come from." Yuriko blushed and turned away, knowing that was true. "Well, it's just wrong, okay? If girls could be like Auntie Usagi and Uncle Mamoru, we would see people like that on TV. Am I right?" Hana nodded slowly, figuring that made sense. She finally put her pants on and sighed. It was sad to know their mama and Makoto-sama couldn't be like their aunt and uncle. They would be a really fun family if they could.

Just then, Minako entered the room, volleyball in hand. She stared at them as if she were about to say something. By the look on her face, she was going to scold them about something, but she didn't. Instead, she closed the door. The girls heard her footsteps, which meant she was walking away. They looked at each other quizzically.

"Mama looked mad. Do you think we did something?"

"I don't know."

* * *

Usagi, Ami, Rei, Makoto, Minako, Hana, and Yuriko stood in front of the Jinja, getting ready to leave for their outing. Minako had the mandatory item needed for their fun: the volleyball. For food, the women decided they would buy something to eat, even though Makoto's cooking was the best in the galaxy. Makoto didn't mind that decision and just went with the flow.

"Everyone's together again!" Usagi exclaimed. "This'll be so fun!" Ami giggled at her friend's excitement. Rei flashed a smile at the thought of having fun with her friends. Finally, a day without drama. Minako grinned as she rubbed her volleyball. "You won't be saying that when I dominate all of you," she murmured. Makoto sighed at Minako, afraid she had taken this too seriously.

"Makoto-sama, why mama so scary?" Yuriko asked as she clung to Makoto. The woman shrugged with a sigh. She noticed Minako waiting for an answer as well, making it obvious now that she wanted to know what Makoto thought. "I don't know," the brunette said simply. Picking the child up, she grinned. "But back when she was in school, she was really nice. Then, Furuhata Motoki – you remember him, right? – made her like this."

Minako stared at Makoto as if she were stupid, which was what the tall women was proving herself to be. If she and Minako were alone, there would be trouble. As a result, she restrained herself and said nothing. Mentally screaming, she realized this whole _outing_ was just a _trap_. A trap set up by Kino Makoto. She couldn't believe she fell for the bait. Of course she would agree to go out with her friends if _volleyball_ was involved! Makoto knew her too well.

Rei and Ami didn't understand why Makoto had brought up Motoki's name. They hadn't seen or heard from him in years. Judging by the response – or lack thereof – of Minako, they kept quiet, afraid to bring up unnecessary drama.

Going down the steps, Usagi made a frown. 'So, she hasn't given up on that,' she thought with a little sigh, referring to the time when she and Makoto found out Minako was hanging out with Motoki. She didn't know Makoto's reason for being upset with Minako. Besides not liking Motoki, it didn't seem like Makoto had a reason at all. Usagi, on the other hand, had a reason for being upset with _Motoki_. He must have told Minako something to convince her to hang around him. With a history like theirs, he must have _lied_ to her.

At the bottom of the steps, Rei noticed a car driving up the street. She swore under her breath and pointed it out to Usagi. When she noticed the car, she urged everyone to get into Ami's car quickly. At first, the sudden rushing confused Minako, Makoto, and Ami, but they soon understood once a car pulled up right behind Ami's car.

Mamoru had just arrived.

"I call shotgun," Usagi muttered as she entered the car. Rei stared at Mamoru when he got out of the car, and he seemed ready to speak to Usagi. As Minako and Makoto entered the car with the twins in their arms, the miko walked up to the man with a sigh.

"Look, Mamoru, we don't want you around Usagi," she murmured. "Just leave her alone." Mamoru tried to pass Rei and talk to Usagi, but Rei stepped in front of him. "You've caused enough pain. Leave her alone." Mamoru glared at the miko and crossed his arms. "Are you saying this on behalf of the others, or is this just you trying to steal her away from me?" he asked. Rei grinned, thinking his question was funny. "Well, I guess I _am_ saying it for everyone," she answered. "But how can I steal what you _don't have_?" Laughing and shaking her head, she entered the car. Ami drove off, leaving Mamoru behind.

Throwing her head back, Rei sighed. "And I thought there wouldn't be any drama today."

* * *

"What the heck?"

"I know! There's not even a net and Minako makes it impossible for us to win!"

A scary laughter filled the air. Minako had her hands on her hips, and her head was thrown back. Makoto shook her head at the blonde, and the twins gave their mother frightened looks as they sat on the sidelines. Rei, Usagi, and Ami decided just to give up because it obvious to them that they didn't have a chance. This decision only made Minako laughed harder, attracting attention to herself. Makoto tried to calm her down by suggesting that they should have lunch now. Usagi brightened up at the idea and grabbed Minako. The two blondes ran to a nearby café.

"Yeah, they're related," Rei quipped. Makoto laughed and agreed. Holding the twins' hands, she walked after Usagi and Minako with Rei and Ami.

Hana and Yuriko glanced at each other for a moment, as if to converse with each other through silence. Ever since they arrived at this park, their mother had acted strangely. At first, they thought this was all fun and games, but Minako looked very serious. Looking up at Makoto and catching a quick glimpse of her emerald eyes, they stared back at each other. When the others were playing volleyball, Makoto and Minako were on one team while Rei, Usagi, and Ami were on another, clearly outnumbering them. The girls had noticed something weird about Makoto and Minako, about the way they worked together. They were so into the game – so much so that Minako may have overdone it a bit. They were so in tune with each other that it wasn't a surprise that they won. Not only that, but Makoto and Minako seemed to have a lot to talk about in between each scored point. Whether they whispered or gave each some motivation, they were always talking. The girls couldn't tell if they ever talked about the sudden meeting that had taken place earlier that morning, so they would just have to find out later.

Soon, the five caught up to Usagi and Minako, who were already sitting at a table outside. Three other chairs were available, meaning Hana and Yuriko would have to sit on someone's lap. Once everyone was seated, the five women looked at each other without saying a word. Even though nothing had been said, it was obvious what was on their minds.

Who would pay for what?

Rei decided to take the initiative and spoke up. "Usagi, how much?" she asked. Usagi went through her pocket and took out her wallet. She put it in everyone's face as if it were really that important, being decorated with bunnies and such. When she received a nudge from Rei, she got back to business and looked through it. She took out some change, and that was it. The others looked at her as if she had gained some kind of abnormality.

"What? I keep most of the bills in my other wallet."

"Where is that?"

"In the car."

Trying to refrain from saying some kind of insult, Rei moved on to Minako. "What about you?" Minako laughed nervously, saying she didn't have anything on her at the moment. Rei glared daggers at the oldest blonde. If she knew they were going out, she should have brought some money with her, right?

Sounds on change hitting the table was heard coming from the opposite side of the table. Makoto and Ami had put some _actual_ money on the table. "That should be enough, right?" Ami asked. Rei got her wallet out and shook her head. "No, take some of that back. I don't want to be like those two," she said, pointing to Usagi and Minako. "Hey, at least _I_ contributed!" Usagi exclaimed. As more money was being added to the pile and Rei saying some of it wasn't necessary, Minako tried taking some for herself. Of course, she was caught and reprimanded with a slap to the hand.

"That's what happens to people who steal," Makoto noted to Hana and Yuriko. Minako stuck out her tongue only to receive a look from the brunette that warned her to put her tongue back inside her mouth. In response, Minako only mouthed something to her, which she apparently could say in front of her children. Then, they made faces at each other.

Now, this was awkward.

"Makoto, Ami, let's go."

Makoto looked up at Rei, who had gotten up. She had the bills in her hand, and Ami had the extra change. Makoto nodded and sat Yuriko in her chair. The three adults went off into the café to get the food and drinks, leaving Minako, Usagi, Hana, and Yuriko behind. Yuriko made a face at Hana, silently asking what had just happened. Hana shrugged subtly in response.

"Minako, what was that?" Usagi asked as she turned to her sister. Minako smiled at her innocently. "We were just having fun," she explained. "It's not everyday we can be like this." Usagi arched an eyebrow suspiciously. "Like what?" she asked. "Like _this_, like how we were in high school," Minako beamed as she stared off into space. "We used to have so much fun, but then we grew up."

"Grew up? That's not what it looked like to me."

Minako tilted her head to the left slightly, asking what Usagi meant. Usagi tossed her a look that said, "Are you kidding me?" She placed her hand on Minako's shoulder and sighed, "You guys didn't grow up. You were both acting like children."

"Well, after graduation then."

Usagi opened her mouth to make a point, but she stopped herself and turned her whole body away from her sister. Now, their shoulders were facing each other, and neither of the two would say anything.

* * *

"What'll we get for the others?"

"Oh, don't worry. I got Usagi covered."

"Minako's tastes are predictable, so I know what to get her."

"And the twins?"

"They like what Minako likes."

Ami frowned at Makoto. How was it that Makoto appeared to know so much about Minako? If the genius didn't know better, she'd say Makoto knew more about Minako than she knew her own lover! The idea itself was crazy, but Ami couldn't help but wonder.

"Makoto, can I talk to you for a minute?" the blue-haired woman whispered in her ear. Makoto nodded, feeling that something was up. Ami gave Rei the extra change and pulled Makoto out of line. Rei watched them sit at a table in the corner, which set off red flags in her mind. She only hope Makoto wouldn't do anything stupid.

"So, Ami, what's on your mind?" Makoto asked. "You and Minako," Ami said. "I don't understand either of you. It's like you're in your own little world. The both of you are so into each other and…" The brunette grinned as she intertwined her fingers with Ami's. Mizuno Ami was exhibiting jealousy, and Makoto found that amusing. "Oh, come on, Ami," she sighed. "We're only playing around. You know, because we're _friends_." She paused for a moment to kiss the palm of Ami's hand. That simple action made Ami blush a little.

"_You_ are my _girlfriend_, and I'll always be more '_into you_.' Understand?" Makoto asked. Ami nodded with a smile and leaned over the table to give the brunette a peck on the cheek. "Yeah, I do," she whispered. Then, the two both stood up and joined Rei back in line.

* * *

Usagi noticed Makoto, Rei, and Ami finally exit the café. She gained a toothy grin, knowing what time it was. Now, it was time for food. Each woman's hands were literally full, yet they didn't seem to have much trouble carrying everything back.

"Alright," Makoto sighed. "Non-caffeinated drink for Usagi…" The brunette handed Usagi some weird-looking drink. Usagi eyed it for a moment, but she was reassured that its taste was delightful.

"…Hana and Yuriko," the tall woman finished as she passed small cups of juice to the twins. Rei passed out all of the sandwiches around the table and grabbed her coffee from Makoto's hand. "You're welcome," the brunette murmured as the miko took her seat and set Yuriko on her lap. Ami giggled at Rei's mock coldness. She could only imagine what the two were like alone in the jinja.

Once everyone was seated and had their food and drinks, they all dug in. "We should do this all the time," Minako suggested. "We all got separated after high school, didn't we?" Rei shrugged, but the others recognized that as her agreeing to her friend's statement. "I suppose," she said. "But we had to move on to bigger and better things. We had no choice but to separate."

"Maybe, but some of us didn't move anywhere," Usagi pointed out. Suddenly, she and Makoto were in the spotlight. Makoto decided to interject. "Hey, I'm making a living as a miko's assistant," she defended. "I'm doing something productive."

"Didn't you want to open up your own cake and flower shop?" Ami asked. Makoto grinned as she held up her wallet with pride. "That's where being a miko's assistant comes into play. Gotta save up, right?" she asked. Usagi and Minako clapped at her logic, understanding where Makoto was coming from.

"So, what about you, Usagi?" Makoto inquired. Usagi shrugged and scratched her head. "I don't know anymore," she said, taking a sip of her drink. She brightened up for a moment. It really was good! She drank more before continuing. "I _wanted_ to be a housewife but…" There was a brief silence once Usagi trailed off. Everyone knew what she meant. If Mamoru hadn't been the person he was, she would already be fulfilling her dream.

Hana and Yuriko looked at each other, thinking it was time to let their voices be heard. Because Hana was already sitting on her mother's lap, Yuriko urged her to say something first. When Hana gave her a dark look, which said she didn't want to say anything, Yuriko pouted and crossed her arms. Their silent quarrel caught the women's attention, and led them to question their actions.

"Oh, um, mama?" Yuriko smiled sweetly. "Hana wanted to know…"

"You want to know, too, Yuriko!"

Rei and Makoto glanced at each other, finding their hesitance somewhat amusing.

"Okay, Hana _and I_ wanted to know where babies come from."

There was an awkward silence for a moment. Makoto and Usagi both had an idea of what to say, but this would obviously be a lie to protect the twins' innocence. "Baby trees!" they exclaimed. They looked at each other and gave each other the thumbs up. Rei shook her head, thinking Makoto and Usagi were both stupid for coming up with such a ridiculous lie.

"Not baby trees," Minako disagreed. "Storks."

"You mean the birds?" Hana inquired. Minako nodded. "So, _anyone_ can have a baby?" Yuriko asked. Minako nodded again, earning an exciting smile from Hana and what looked like a disappointed frown from Yuriko. "That means you and Makoto-sama can have a baby, right? Together, right?"

Coughs were heard all around the table. The only sound that occurred after that was laughter, which came from Rei. She found this way too funny for Makoto's liking. Minako stared at Makoto, hoping she would answer for her. When no one said anything, she said, "Makoto, they deserve an answer."

"Yeah, from their mother."

Rei laughed harder, not able to stand this comedy act. Damn, this was the funniest thing she had heard all day! Usagi hit her arm, trying to get the miko to sober up. Apparently, the caffeine had gotten to her already. Once Rei had quieted down, Minako came up with an answer.

"Well, if Makoto and I _wanted_ to, we could," she said slowly. Hana gasped and bounced up and down in her lap. "Really? At anytime?"

"Not just _anytime_," Minako replied, shaking her head. "Right, Makoto?" Makoto nodded slowly. "Yeah…um, we'd have to love each other a lot, and we do…just as friends," she added, carefully choosing her words. She wasn't sure she flew under Ami's radar, since the blue-haired woman was staring at her with a wary expression.

Rei grinned at the blonde and the brunette. She wanted to enjoy this awkward moment while she still could. Before she could say anything, however, Hana stated their disappointment, saying how it would be cool to have a family with their Makoto-sama in it. Rei decided to take advantage of that and twist things to satisfy her amusement.

"Aw, that's too bad," the miko sighed. "But you'd like to be a mother, wouldn't you, Makoto?" Makoto hugged Hana closer to her and shrugged. "I thought I was…sort of," she explained softly. "I've influenced them and given them my guidance every now and then, and they've listened so far. I thought that was motherly."

"But mothers are there for their children _all the time_."

"Yeah, but I treat them like my own from afar, and I wouldn't want to make it seem like I'm taking Minako's job away, so…"

"What's with the timid act all of a sudden?" Rei grinned subtly. She was definitely enjoying this. "Come on, speak up." Makoto sighed, all eyes on her now. She didn't know what to say in front of Ami, whose eyes were staring her down. She also felt the pressure of saying the right thing to please Ami, Minako, and Rei all at the same time. She didn't want to dig a hole for herself, so she would have to pick her words carefully.

"Well, I'd like to be there and give them direction all the time and even help Minako out, but I can't," Makoto said, a little louder this time. "What's stopping you?" Rei and Minako spoke at the same time. Usagi and Ami looked from them to Makoto, wondering how Makoto would answer. Ami only hoped Makoto would answer the right way.

"Well, uh…" Makoto was in a dangerous pinch, and there was no way out of it. 'Damn, I said too much!' she thought. 'If only they were distracted or something!'

"Usako!"

Everyone froze up at the sound of someone calling Usagi's name. Makoto turned in her seat to see the originator of the voice. She smiled and sighed in relief. Mamoru was running toward them, and the attention was off of her. "I love that guy," Makoto muttered under her breath. Mamoru had just saved the day, and his timing couldn't have been any better.

"Usako," he panted as he came to a stop at their table. "Usako, please hear me out." Whispers were heard around the table. Questions like "What is he doing here?" or "Did he follow us?" were almost incoherent because they were said all at once. Apparently, it annoyed Mamoru, so he broke it up.

"No, you've had the chance to talk to Usako, now it's my turn," he stated. He stared each woman down, but he wasn't intimidating in the least. When everything was quiet, he looked Usagi in the eyes, silently telling her to talk to him. Usagi reluctantly stood and walked away with him. The only way to end this Mamoru problem was by talking it out and reaching some sort of understanding.

Rei watched them, hoping they wouldn't go too far. She wanted to hear whatever they had to say. While Rei did that, Minako brought the previous question asked back to Makoto's attention.

"So, Makoto, what's stopping you?"

Makoto frowned. Just when she thought this was over, everything jumped back in her face. At this point, what had probably started out as Rei's game became Minako's instigation. Minako knew the talk of her and Makoto being together and having a child was uncomfortable for Ami. This was agitating Ami, and Minako didn't care. This definitely wasn't good for Makoto because now she would have to say something Ami would expect her to say. Now, for some reason, Makoto sensed misfortune would be upon her soon.

Just as she thought that, Hana asked, "Nothing, right? You want to be with mama like you were this morning, right?" Ami's eyes narrowed at Makoto, which caused the brunette to gulp. Today just wasn't her day. "Can I talk to you for a minute, Makoto?" the genius whispered in her ear. Yeah, today just wasn't her day.

Suddenly, Usagi came back to the group just minutes later. She seemed a bit irritated, more so than she had been when Mamoru had arrived. "Rei, can you and I talk? Right now?" she murmured quietly. Rei tried to ask if there was anything wrong, but Usagi wouldn't let her.

"Come on, guys!" Minako huffed. "You're just going to leave the three of us like this? How mean!" When the four didn't say a word, Minako waved them off, letting them go about their business. She had hoped they could all have fun together, even if this was a trap meant just for her. Holding Hana tight, Minako sighed as she stared at her coffee. This day wasn't going well at all.

Yuriko, now sitting in Makoto's spot, frowned at the sad expression on her mother's face. Deciding to get her mind off of whatever she was thinking of, she chirped, "Hey, Mama, what were you and Makoto-sama talking about when you were playing volleyball earlier?" Hana brightened up at the question, finding interest in that topic as well. She leaned into Minako and rubbed the arms wrapped around her, trying to get her to talk. Minako stared at the both of them, their faces full of curiosity. She decided to toy with them, just for her own amusement.

"I don't know. What do you think we were talking about?" the blonde grinned. Yuriko pouted and crossed her arms. Before she could even get a word out, Hana grabbed her mother's hands and squeezed them close together. "Please tell us!" she exclaimed. "Please!" Minako rolled her eyes at how melodramatic her daughter was and gave up her fun.

"Furuhata Motoki-san."

There was silence between the three blondes for a minute or two. The distant voices of Makoto, Ami, Rei, and Usagi could be heard but not coherently. Yuriko tried listening on their conversations, but she couldn't since they were so far away. She gave up any further attempts and continued. "Do you like him?" she questioned.

"No."

"So…you wouldn't want to have babies with him?"

Minako didn't answer. If she said 'no,' it would be like saying she didn't want to give birth to _them_ in the first place. However, the girls didn't know any of her secrets yet, so she couldn't say a word.

"But he's nice! A-and he looks like he's as fun as Makoto-sama!" Yuriko persisted. Hana gasped, wondering Yuriko could let herself utter such words of…of _blasphemy_! No one could be as_ fun _as _Makoto-sama_! "Yuriko, stop talking!" she shouted. "You don't know what you're saying!" Yuriko stood up in her chair, ready to defend her case. Minako tried telling her to sit, but the twins were already engaged in another fight.

In the nick of time, the four women came back, but none of them looked happy. They all collected their food and beverages, getting ready to leave. Minako frowned as she eyed their actions. Her gaze went to Mamoru, who was still there. Now, it looked like he was waiting for Usagi to get back. "One of you will take us home, right?" Minako asked, inferring was going on.

"I will," Usagi said softly. Ami didn't even volunteer. Makoto seemed a bit uneasy as she stared at the blue-haired woman. Rei seemed indifferent, but that only made Minako wonder what had been said between her, Usagi, and Mamoru.

"Stupid Hana! Guys are supposed to like girls! Girls can't be together!"

Everyone stopped what they were doing. They all stared at Yuriko, flabbergasted by the fact that this mere child had the courage to be so bold and shout such a statement. Soon, Yuriko became embarrassed by the staring and sat down, her face red as a tomato. Usagi, Ami, Rei, and Makoto then turned their gaze to Minako to see her reaction. On the surface, she sported a look of shock, just like they had. However, looks could be deceiving.

"Well, Usagi, whenever you're ready," Minako sighed, picking up the twins' sandwiches along with hers. Hana jumped to the ground as her mother stood. Usagi held Hana's juice while Minako held Yuriko's and her own coffee and proceeded to leave.

Today didn't turn out as Minako thought it would; it actually got worse.

--End Chapter Ten--

_I feel proud XD This is the longest chapter I have ever written…turned out longer than expected, though. If there are any typos there, sorry. I was just trying to get proofreading done quickly because I have things to do DX Share your thoughts :) Til next time_

_Serenity101_


	11. Interlude

How Love Should Be

_Summary: Usagi is happily engaged to Mamoru. They're labeled as the perfect couple, so what's wrong? Everything. Minako is a single mother who strives to take care of her children. What happens when someone wants to love her? Everything. How should love really be?_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon._

Interlude: A Day of Reflection between Friends

_A week later…_

Makoto walked into the kitchen with a sullen, tired look on her face. Her pace was sluggish, as if something was weighing her down. She glanced at Rei, who was sitting at on the counter, while walking to the fridge. She too looked drained of her energy. Her eyes were clouded with thoughts that rushed through her mind. Makoto knew what those thoughts were because it was painfully obvious.

"Makoto?"

"Yeah?"

"Usagi's gone."

"Yup."

"It was my fault."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Me too."

Taking the milk out of the fridge, Makoto stared at her broken friend. Invisible tears of sorrow stained her face, yet she was oblivious to it. Makoto sighed as she set the milk aside and walked up to Rei. She lifted the woman up and set her feet down on the floor. She was then pulled into a comforting embrace. Without much hesitation, the miko hugged Makoto tight. For a few minutes, she heard the steady beat of Makoto's heart. She closed her eyes, musing about how such a sound could lull her to sleep.

"Feel better?"

"No, not really."

"Want some cereal?"

"Sure."

Makoto patted Rei's head, a gesture that indicated it was time to let go. However, Rei held her tight and showed no signs of moving anytime soon. It made Makoto laugh at the raven-haired woman's childish behavior. "Rei," she called softly, "You have to let go if you want the cereal."

"It can wait," Rei mumbled. Makoto put her arm around Rei, rubbing her back comfortingly. "Oh, Rei," she sighed. "Poor, poor Rei." Kissing the top of her head, Makoto recalled the time when Rei acted this way years ago when they were younger. Times were rough for the miko back then. Poor Rei indeed.

* * *

"I swear I'm seriously going to fall asleep…damn, this feels so good."

"Hey, we still have things to do."

"Oh? Like what?"

"You'll find out if you don't fall asleep."

"How tempting."

Makoto laughed. She stared at Rei as she moved her hands along other woman's back, giving her a heavenly massage. With this kind of attention, Rei found this almost weird. She hadn't felt so relaxed and so depressed in such a long time. She had forgotten what it felt like to be relieved of stress and sorrowful at the same time. Makoto hadn't taken care of her like this in years, and yet she knew what to do. Rei found that kind of weird.

"You know, Makoto, you really are motherly."

A laugh.

"What can I say? I get it from my mother."

Rei frowned at Makoto's response. "Yeah, and I pushed away the woman I love. I get that from my father." Suddenly, Rei jumped at the feeling of something jabbing her in the ribs. Makoto had poked her rather hard, apparently disapproving her statement. "You're wrong," the brunette stated. "You're better than him."

"If I were, Usagi would still be here."

"How do you figure that?"

"As much as I don't want to admit it, we have many things in common. Hurting people is one of them."

Makoto poked Rei in the ribs once again in disapproval. The miko rolled over on her stomach, ready to scold her friend. Before she was able to say anything, Makoto practically tackled her and squeezing her tight. At times like this, hugs were important.

"Dummy," the brunette whispered. "You're such an idiot." Rei sighed at that response. Makoto was at a loss for words, and they both knew it. There was no point in arguing with Rei anyway, considering how she would find some way to prove she was right.

"Don't worry. I know."

* * *

Who knew a soak in the tub would be so relaxing? Ah, this was bliss! A day like this was very rare and absolutely necessary every now and again. However, when a friend was sitting there and enjoying the same bath, there would be bit of quality time that were undesirable. Rei knew now was the time for the interrogation, and that was something Rei was _not_ looking forward to.

"Thank you for this, Makoto. You know just what to do…for me of all people." Stalling for time.

"I may not know you as well as Usagi, but I know you well enough." Laughing, subtly trying to get some information.

"I'm glad you're my housemate. Sometimes, you really come to my rescue." Opening up, yet still stalling.

"From Usagi?" Getting to the point.

"My life doesn't revolve around her." Quietly and defensively.

"From past and current events that I know of, I beg to differ." Pressing the issue.

Next, a sigh fills the room. There was a short pause in conversation. Neither Rei nor Makoto looked each other in the eye just yet.

"Well, things are complicated." Quietly again, making ripples in the water.

"How complicated." Trying to tear the answers out of her.

"Too complicated." Trying to end the conversation.

Both women stared into each other's eyes now. If she were lucky, Makoto would find out something new about Rei that she had never heard of before. However, that would be asking for too much. To have Rei open up at all was enough. Besides, all she needed to know right was what had gone on between Rei and Usagi last week.

"Then stop making it complicated," Makoto sighed. "It doesn't have to be this way. You can just tell me whatever happened between you and Usagi during any time period." Rei faked a laugh before narrowing her eyes. "No, I can't. Minako has to be here if you wanted to hear _anything_ come out of me." Makoto rolled her eyes, resisting the urge to ask what Minako had to do with any of this. It seemed that everyone was somehow involved with Minako in one way or another.

"Well, what about last week? When we all went out?" Makoto asked. "What was up with you, Usagi, and Mamoru? I'm sure Minako has nothing to do with that." Rei crossed her arms and stared up at the ceiling, sighing with frustration. "How about you and Ami? What was _that_ about?" she asked tauntingly.

"When Minako and I were joking around, she got jealous. Then, she found out I was at Minako's house that morning, and things got worse…"

Rei looked back at the brunette, a inquisitive grin on her face. Oh, this was getting juicy. "Oh? What were you doing there?" Makoto shot back a smirk. "I can't tell you. Minako has to be here."

"Touché."

"So? You, Usagi, and Mamoru?"

Rei sighed and tilted her head to the right slightly. Remembering that day, she frowned. She had never seen Usagi so furious before. Her anger may not have showed, but she had something welled up on the inside that was easy to see. Seeing Usagi like that had torn Rei apart.

"The day Usagi and I had a fight – I'm sure you heard about it – I had called Mamoru and told him Usagi wanted to go home. I was mad, and I wasn't being rational, but you know how I am! She had made it seem like everything was my fault, and she had truly resented me at that moment, so I had to do something.

"And then Mamoru had to open his mouth when he followed us last week! Of all the times Usagi decided to listen to what he had to say, she had to pick that one! She sided with him, started hating me, and packed up! She left me for that…that _stupid excuse for a man_! She left me for _him_! She had a choice this time, and she chose _him_!"

As Rei began rambling on, tears finally fell down her cheeks. Makoto took this as the time to get out of the tub and skip the dinner she had planned out in her mind. She helped a sobbing Rei up on her feet. She grabbed a towel and dried the miko off, wiping her tears occasionally. Once they were both wrapped in towels, Makoto walked Rei to her room and dressed her in some nightclothes, since Rei was unable to because of her uncontrollable crying. Rei lay on the bed and covered her face with her pillow, muffling the sounds of her cries. So, this is what such a relaxing day had come down to? This was the climax? If so, this was a rip-off.

Soon, Makoto came back in fully clothed and tried quieting the woman down. She sat beside her and stroked her arm. At this point, that was the best Makoto could do.

"She picked him, Makoto! She hates me!"

"You're wrong…"

"She let him take her away! She hates me!"

"Oh, Rei," Makoto sighed, seeing no way to calm the miko down. "Poor, poor, Rei."

Yes, poor Rei indeed.

--End of Interlude--

_And that's all. It's just a little explanatory chapter, so there's not much. Hope you enjoyed it anyway. If there are any typos, sorry. At the time of this chapter's completion, I'm really tired, it's very late, and I have school tomorrow DX Anyway, share your thoughts! Til next time_

_Serenity101_


	12. Chapter 11

How Love Should Be

_Summary: Usagi is happily engaged to Mamoru. They're labeled as the perfect couple, so what's wrong? Everything. Minako is a single mother who strives to take care of her children. What happens when someone wants to love her? Everything. How should love really be?_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon._

Chapter Eleven

"_Minako, can you do me a favor?"_

Why now?

"What?"

"_Uh…is this a bad time?"_

She wanted to say yes and be left alone, but she couldn't bring herself to. There were times where she just couldn't say no to her sister.

"What do you want, Usagi?"

"_The twins' birthday is coming up in a few days, so I need you to tell Rei that their birthday party will be at the jinja."_

Oh, she was so not in the mood for this. Being a messenger was one thing, but rearranging plans that were already set was another.

"Who decided that?"

"_Let's just say Ami and I were running out of lies to tell Mamoru a while ago."_

This was definitely what she needed. Life was just screwing with her now.

"Then why don't you tell Rei yourself?"

"_I'd rather not. Thanks, sis, I love you!"_

And that was it? How perfect.

Minako sighed once Usagi hung up. The blonde put the phone on the nightstand and turned away from it. She closed her eyes and tried to get some sleep, even though she had taken a nap an hour ago. Before, she had gotten up to feed the twins and then returned to her room. At this point she was consciously neglecting her children, but it wasn't her fault. Yuriko, her own flesh and blood, said something Usagi's father had tried telling her many times.

It was a shame.

Minako never thought she would have a judgmental child. She wanted her children to be open-minded. Oh, this was a shame indeed. Now, if Minako took the time to get out of bed, she would have to give them a lecture about homosexuality. That wouldn't turn out so well, and she knew that to be a fact.

Sighing again, she grabbed the phone behind her and decided to call Rei now. Then, she would either call her mother and tell her about recent events or go to sleep, whichever came first. She waited patiently for someone to pick up the phone.

"_Hello?"_

"Oh, hey, Makoto, what's up?"

"_Nothing but the ceiling."_

Minako couldn't fight back the urge to laugh at the corny joke. "…You're such a loser, you know that?" she asked.

"_What? I was trying to cheer you up! You don't sound like your usual self," _Makoto said, trying to justify herself. She was probably grinning right now. Minako sighed as she let her smile disappear. "Really? So now you can see through me even when you can't even see me?"

"_If this is about what Yuriko said, she's only a child! Children believe everything they see and hear. Let her think what she wants."_

Minako sat up and glared at her reflection in the mirror, imagining Makoto was standing in front of her. "But she's like Kenji!" she exclaimed. "He said the same thing to me! He tried to get Mama on his side, just like Yuriko tried to do to Hana!" There was a brief pause after that. Minako hugged her knees to her chest, waiting for Makoto to say something.

"_Alright, alright. Just teach her to be more tolerant. Then maybe things will get better," _Makoto sighed_. _Minako laughed.

"Are you kidding me? Yuriko thinks I resent her, and she's been balling her eyes out. She even called Mama…"

"_She can use a phone?"_

"Of course. They need to learn things at early ages so they'll never forget them."

"_Right. So, did you talk to your mom after that?"_

"Yeah, but I didn't give her much info. I'll probably call her later today. But anyway, back to the point." Minako lied on her back as she heard Makoto ask, _"What point?"_

"I need you to tell Rei the twins' birthday party will be held at the jinja."

"_May I ask why?"_

Minako shrugged and crossed her arms. "I don't know. Usagi called me and told me to tell Rei. I don't really mind where the party will be, so I'll help Usagi out."

"_Help?"_

"Yeah. She said she lied to Mamoru a while back, but that's all she told me."

"_Oh. I'll see if Rei will even agree with this. I'll call you later if she gives you the okay."_

"Alright. Thanks, Makoto. Hope to hear from you soon."

"_I'm sure you do. Bye, babe."_

Minako let out a little laugh when she hung up. That Makoto was always saying the weirdest things. It was very amusing, and Makoto knew it. She did it on purpose. What a strange person.

Glancing at the clock, she sighed at the time. She needed to see if Yuriko had calmed down any. Considering the girl was her child, she would get upset once she saw her mother and push her away. However, things wouldn't end that way. Standing up to her feet, she opened the door and went to the living room. She heard the TV on, so she assumed that the twins were there. Only Hana was there, and she seemed to be enjoying herself.

"Hana, where is Yuriko?" Minako asked as she leaned against the arm of the couch. Hana shrugged as she looked up at her mother. "She went to bed after lunch," she answered. Minako mentally laughed. Who knew her children acted the same way she did in every situation? That was very amusing.

Minako thanked Hana and went off to the girls' room. She went in and closed the door behind her. Yuriko was on the bed, her body making little spasmodic jolts. Sobbing and hiccups accompanied them, and it made Minako frown. The guilt was setting in. Her maternal instincts were telling her to rush over to her child and comfort her, reassure her that she was indeed loved. Seeing Yuriko like this truly killed her on the inside. The pain Yuriko felt, Minako felt twofold. It hurt to feel abandoned, and Minako knew this all too well. The poor, broken child was crying out for her, and yet she ignored the pleas of acceptance selfishly and ignorantly. What kind of mother was she? How could she let Yuriko's sadness go on for so long?

"Yuriko," Minako called softly, taking a small step forward. Upon hearing her voice, Yuriko looked up. For a moment, a glint of happiness could be seen in her eyes. However, before Minako could pick up on it, that emotion disappeared; sadness and anger took its place in an instant. "Leave me alone," the child sniffled. Minako took another small step, trying to figure out how to handle the situation without raising her voice; that was how her own mother handled these problems. From the look of things Yuriko was going to push her away in any way she could, so she had to think of a rational, non-Minako way of calming Yuriko down.

"I said leave me alone!" Yuriko yelled, glaring at Minako with cold eyes. Minako narrowed her eyes, causing Yuriko to bite her lip in mild fear. The woman was giving her a warning. Yuriko had never seen this kind of intensity before, and she didn't want to see how bad it could get.

"I don't take orders from my daughter," Minako said firmly. "That's not how it's going to work." Taking another step – a bigger, more confident step – she stared Yuriko down. Now, Yuriko was sporting a look of surrender, but a hint of defiance still lingered. Minako mentally sighed, glad to know Yuriko would listen to her now. She walked toward the girl's bed and sat down. Yuriko squirmed away from Minako, wanting to stay as far away as possible.

"Yuriko, why are you still crying?" Minako asked. Yuriko was reluctant to say anything, but her mother asked again with her voice slightly raised, prompting Yuriko to inhale air and hold her breath. Minako was getting scarier than before just by changing the tone in her voice, and Yuriko didn't want to see the anger she could unleash.

"You don't love me anymore," Yuriko finally answered. "I don't know what I did. I didn't do anything bad, did I?" Minako smiled weakly and lifted Yuriko onto her lap. When she didn't squirm away, Minako answered, "You didn't do anything wrong. _I_ was acting like a child."

"Why? And why did you blame me?"

Yuriko looked up at her, wiping the tears off of her small face. Minako tilted her head slightly and sighed again. "Well, you said girls couldn't be together, right?" she asked softly. Yuriko nodded. "They can't, right?" To the child's surprise, Minako nodded. "Yes, they can."

"But…but the TV!"

"TV isn't always true," Minako said. "Anyone can be with whoever they want to be with. No exceptions." Yuriko down on the floor, muttering a small, "Oh." There was a short silence, as if there was nothing else to say. It gradually became apparent that no one would say much else, so she decided to get back to the point. "So, when you said that, you made _me_ feel bad," Minako said. Yuriko muttered, "Sorry." Minako smiled and ruffled her hair a bit, hearing the sincerity in the girl's voice. Yuriko didn't smile just yet. There was something unsaid that she needed an answer to.

"So, do you like girls?"

"Yes, I do."

"What about boys?"

"I like them, too."

"You can like both?"

"It's possible."

Yuriko looked up and wrapped her arms around her mother's neck. There was one last question that needed to be answered.

"Do you still love me?"

Minako grinned and squeezed her daughter tightly. "Of course I do!" she exclaimed. Standing up and lifting her into the air, both blondes smiled at each other.

"Hey, I want some love, too!"

Hana's sudden outburst only proved that there was a 'con' of having an odd-numbered family: there was a constant battle for love.

* * *

"Like hell I'm going to help her."

"But don't you want to help Minako?"

"I'd do this for her, but since this was Usagi's idea, I won't."

"Why not?"

"She has to talk to me herself. Then, I'd _think_ about it."

Makoto sighed at Rei. She had just told the miko the situation, and she had said no. Of course, it was a Rei-like response, and it was the response Makoto had actually expected. Even so, she was slightly annoyed at Rei's thinking. If she had simply agreed, she could have seen Usagi by default and tried working out their problems. Sure, there would be no time for privacy, and the day would be about Hana and Yuriko, but they could figure it out. However, this was Rei, and she let her feelings cloud her logical, more rational thinking. How typical.

"Whatever," Makoto groaned. With the phone in hand, she dialed Usagi's number and hoped she would pick up. After a few moments, she heard the blonde's voice.

"_Hello?"_

"Usagi, you have to talk to her."

"_No."_

"Why not?"

"_I'll be at the party anyway, so I don't have to talk to her now."_

Makoto smacked her forehead, staring at Rei with the look Usagi probably had on, which said, "Duh." She groaned a little more before continuing.

"Please? She won't do the party here without talking to you."

"_Fine, whatever."_

Makoto suddenly passed Rei the phone. The older woman almost dropped it, prompting her to glare at the brunette. Makoto shrugged as if to apologize, but Rei didn't care for that.

"You want a party, you have to help."

"_Okay."_

"Be here in two days. Got it?"

"_Yeah."_

"Good."

Rei hung up and tossed the phone back. She sighed and stared up at the ceiling. Chances were she wouldn't be able to say all of the things she wanted to say when she saw Usagi. The blonde would probably prevent her from saying about what had happened the previous week. Makoto crossed her arm as she stared at Rei blankly.

"Do you think you'll be able settle things in two days?"

"No, not really."

* * *

"Yes, mama, everything is fine now…yes, I handled it just like you would have…no, it'll never happen again…okay, I love you too. Bye."

Minako sighed as she hung up, glad everything was working out fine. The twins were now watching TV and enjoying themselves thoroughly. Yuriko, usually the most stubborn and diabolical of the two, had seemed to have learned where she and her mother stood. Minako wanted to be one of those cool parents whose children weren't ashamed of, but that would mean acting like their friend, and that wasn't what she was supposed to do; she was supposed to be their mother – nothing more, nothing less. It took her almost five years to realize that. Talk about being slow.

Just as Minako sat down on the couch to see what her children were watching, a rapid series of knocks were heard at the door. The girls looked at the door for a moment but quickly returned their attention back to the TV. Minako got up from her spot and sighed, wondering who would come to visit at this time of day. Opening the door, she found Ami, who looked rather irritated.

"Hey, Ami," Minako said with a weak smile. If looks could kill, Hana and Yuriko would have lost their mother. "Is there something wrong?" Ami's response was simply pointing to her car parked right in front of the house. Minako raised an eyebrow questioningly at that answer, wondering how serious the problem was. Turning back to her children inside, she said, "Girls, I'll be right back. Don't leave the house this time, alright?"

"Okay!"

Minako sighed and closed the door, remembering the time Hana and Yuriko left the house 'in search for her.' She had only been in the backyard for a few minutes. Turning back to Ami, she was immediately met with a slap. Minako stared at Ami as if she were out of her mind, which was exactly what Minako thought. Ami was not fazed by her expression and simply walked toward the car.

"Sorry, I needed to get that off my chest," she sighed. She stopped for a moment and turned. Minako hadn't moved from her spot. The blue-haired girl wanted to grin, feeling very satisfied with her previous action. However, she knew very well that she had not won this battle just yet.

"Wait, I'm not sorry. In any case, hurry up."

She entered the car and waited for the blonde to make a move. When Minako finally did, she rushed to the car and entered. "What the hell was that for?" she growled venomously, tempted to strike back. Ami didn't look at her for a few moments, gritting her teeth in an attempt to control the never-ending flood of anger rising within her.

"What were you doing with Makoto last week?" Ami asked, finally turning to the blonde. "What was she doing here _in the morning_?" Minako rolled her eyes and decided to stare out of the window. She couldn't believe this came back to bite her in the ass so soon. "Come on, Ami, you're better than this," she murmured softly. "You can't lose your trust in me after all the years we've known each other."

"Oh, please!" Ami spat. "You're the one who tried stealing her from me!" Minako crossed her arms, her eyes meeting Ami's as she turned her head. Her stone cold expression told Ami she was being very serious. "Look, _she_ came to _me_ while the girls and I were eating breakfast. If you want to know why, you should ask her," she said. Ami broke eye contact and stared out the window. "She wouldn't tell me anything when I asked her last week. She told me to talk to you."

Minako smiled and shook her head. She officially blamed Makoto for this meeting. She put her hand on Ami's shoulder and sighed. Once Ami's eyes met hers, she whispered, "Trust me on this, Ami; we didn't do anything. I wouldn't steal away someone you love." Next, the blonde reached for her friend's hands and squeezed them tight. "You and I both know that's not what I stand for."

Ami slowly let a smile stretch across her lips and nodded in agreement. "You're right," she muttered. "Sorry, I accused you of doing anything. You both just…seemed so close, and I got jealous…"

"It's okay, Ami," Minako reassured. "It only shows how much you love Makoto." She pulled Ami into a hug, which was immediately returned. A frown then appeared on the younger woman's face. Their friendship had gotten a little stronger, and that made it harder for Minako to break her heart.

* * *

_Two days later…_

"Alright, so I have balloons, this huge roll of paper-whatever-it-is for the banner – we'll decorate it and whatnot – and cooking crap for Makoto to use for the cake."

Makoto frowned as she searched through the bag and claimed the 'cooking crap.' "It's not crap," she clarified. She began petting the boxes of cake mix and cooing, "It's okay. She didn't mean it." Rei and Usagi stared at the brunette as she walked toward the kitchen. Rei muttered an insult under her breath, not caring if anyone even heard her or not. Usagi turned her attention to her 'bag of festivities' and carried on with the list of supplies.

"Um, I have normal sheets of paper, so we can put up signs to guide the twins to the party area – it'll be a surprise party, I guess – and wrapping paper for gifts. Is that good enough?"

"For now," Rei nodded. "I suggest we save the banner for last. If something bad happened to it, I wouldn't want to do it again." Usagi agreed. She took out the wrapping paper and asked, "Have you bought them a gift yet? What is it?" Rei grinned mischievously, shaking her head. "Sorry, can't tell you. You have to wait to find out just like the others."

Usagi shrugged, showing she didn't care. She handed the miko the wrapping paper and told her to start working. She walked off to the kitchen, muttering something about giving Makoto more cooking crap. Rei watched Usagi walk down the hall, her grin wiped off her face. Now that Usagi hated her, things didn't seem fun anymore.

* * *

Mamoru stared at the TV lifelessly, his eyes glazed over as if he were hypnotized. Usagi had left him not too long ago to help with the party arrangements over at the shrine. He could sense her frustration, and it made him glad since he knew nothing could happen this time around. Still, Rei had a way with words and always changed Usagi's mind one way or another…

_Ring, ring!_

The black-haired man jumped at the sound of the phone ringing. In a way, he was happy the phone brought him out of his reverie. He didn't want to think about what Rei could do to his Usagi if they were alone. Getting up, he rushed to the phone, taking a deep breath and prepared himself for an unwanted conversation.

"Hello?"

"_Mamoru! It's Motoki!"_

Mamoru smiled and relaxed. Maybe this wouldn't be an unwanted conversation after all. "Hey, what's up?"

"_Nothing, just wanted to ask you a favor."_

"Let me guess – babysitting again?"

"_Is that alright?"_

"Sure. When?"

"_In two days?"_

Mamoru scratched his head. He wanted to yell at Motoki, but he didn't want to seem like a jerk to his friend. Honestly, did he forget his twin daughters' birthday?

"Motoki, that's a really bad day…"

"_I know, I know…but I can't just show up with…never mind."_

"You didn't tell Minako about Megumi?"

"_Not yet…"_

Mamoru rubbed his chin with a sigh. Motoki just dug his own grave.

-End Chapter Eleven-

_So, this is the first update in TWO YEARS! That's pretty bad, but I'm going to make up for it! I've had writer's block for a long time and have only been able to come up with oneshots in the years I've been away from my older fics…I'm pretty sure I've lost a bunch of readers, but as long as I bring closure to this story, balance shall return to the world!_

_Also, you may ask "Who the hell is Megumi?" or something to that extent. I kind of paced the story in a sucky way back when I wrote this before and she kind of disappeared until now…if you read back somewhere in the beginning, she's there. Updates will be easier now because of two reasons: 1) I'm on vacation and 2) The story is actually almost done (somewhat)._

_Tl;dr: I'm back, and I'll be pushing out updates before the end of the year! Til next time_

_Serenity101_


	13. Chapter 12

How Love Should Be

_Summary: Usagi is happily engaged to Mamoru. They're labeled as the perfect couple, so what's wrong? Everything. Minako is a single mother who strives to take care of her children. What happens when someone wants to love her? Everything. How should love really be?_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon._

Chapter Twelve

_Two days later…_

Makoto grinned at a job well done. She had finished baking the cake and had put it on the table, covering it so it would be somewhat hidden from plain sight. She was currently making cookies and other assorted sweets for everyone to enjoy on this joyful day.

Rei and Usagi had gotten a lot done in the last two days. They did the banner, which was hanging outside in the back and put assorted clues around the shrine for the twins to follow. They had wrapped up their gifts and hidden them until the time was right to reveal them. Even though the two were having their problems, it made Makoto happy that they could set them aside for the twins.

Rei entered the kitchen with enthusiasm and gusto, somewhat throwing Makoto off guard. "Well, someone's cheerful today," she grinned. "Of course I am," Rei smiled. "Hana and Yuriko were born five years ago today! They've grown up so much, and they've helped Minako grow as a person as well." Makoto nodded in agreement, understanding how important the twins' lives were to not just Minako, but to everyone.

"I just hope today doesn't get messed up," the brunette sighed. "Can you talk to Usagi _after_ the day is over?" Rei's smile disappeared as she rolled her eyes, but she agreed not to do anything. Makoto's smile grew wide. If nothing happened between Rei and Usagi, the day would be a success. Likewise, if nothing happened between Minako, Ami, and herself, the day would be perfect.

"So what should we do now?" Rei asked. "Everything is basically complete, and it's still pretty early." Makoto shrugged as she leaned against the counter. "Just wait until the rest of the food is ready I guess. When should we call people over?"

"In a few hours," Rei answered. "After that, we can decide when to get Minako." Makoto nodded as she let her mind drift off. She had remembered something Minako had said – something about Motoki. She would stop seeing him after today or something to that extent. The thought made her extremely happy.

Nothing could ruin this joyful day.

* * *

Minako smiled as she sat in front of Ikuko and Kenji. She had taken Hana and Yuriko to see their grandparents before the real party began. The two elders bounced one twin on their knee and hugged them tight. There was so much love in the room, it was immeasurable!

"Oh, how these children have grown!" Ikuko smiled as she looked into Hana's eyes. "It seems like only yesterday that they were born." Minako laughed and shook her head. "You say that every year, mama," she said.

"Your mother is right," Kenji chimed in. "You've raised them well, Minako. I'm proud of you." The blonde's eyes wandered to the older man. She kept her smile, but the look in her eyes gave it a new, less sincere meaning. She was never fond of Kenji talking as if he were her father. It was rather irritating.

"As am I," Ikuko interjected, trying to get Minako's attention back. The grandmother sensed Minako's feelings (Minako harbored resentment for Kenji ever since she was young, and they never went away) and tried to prevent Minako from voicing them. "You raised them on your own. No one should have to raise children by themselves, but you did and never gave up."

Minako giggled and waved her hand. "I had no choice, and you know that," she reminded. "Besides, I was never by myself. My friends helped one way or another." Ikuko's smile weakened a little, knowing Minako understood where she was going with this. "Whatever happened to that boy?" she asked. "What was his name?"

"Furuhata?" Kenji said with a hint of venom in his voice. Ikuko nodded and continued, "What happened to him?" Minako looked at the twins, who looked back at her. They recognized that name, so they were somewhat confused when it popped up so suddenly. She couldn't let them know he was their father yet. They would discover that when they were older.

"He's back in town," she said slowly. "He's here and there."

"Have you considered making a new addition to the family?" Ikuko asked. Grinning, Minako nodded. "You could say that," she responded, "but he's not the addition I want to make."

* * *

"You didn't forget the presents, did you?"

"Of course not. We're leaving from here once someone calls us."

"Alright. So, what made you come by?"

"I just needed to someone to talk to, that's all."

Usagi sat down as she watched Ami go through the fridge. It had been a long time since she had come to Ami just to talk. The only difference was that Mamoru was there (under normal circumstances), which was a first. However, he was told to stay in the living room, lest he be bored to death by 'girl talk.'

"Anything to drink?" Ami asked as she looked over her shoulder. "Just water," Usagi answered. There was silence between the two as the younger woman poured some water into two glasses. She handed one to Usagi, who thanked her. When Ami sat down in front of her, the blue-haired woman gestured to Mamoru's location.

"How are you two doing?" she asked quietly. Usagi shrugged. "Ever since everyone found out about the hitting, he doesn't really do it anymore. If I keep him happy, chances are he'll never do it again." Ami offered a weak smile and rubbed her knee. Things were getting better, but they both knew there was no guarantee that it would stay that way.

"I have mixed feelings about today," Usagi murmured, changing the subject. "I'm so excited about today, and I can't wait to see Hana and Yuriko…but then there's Rei, and I'd rather not see her at all." Ami frowned, wondering what had happened that made Usagi feel that way. Sensing the unasked question, Usagi fidgeted and looked at the floor.

"One minute she's all 'I love you' or whatever, and then the next she picks a fight with me and tries to make me feel bad," she sighed. "I don't get it! What's wrong with her?" Ami giggled despite herself, causing Usagi to frown. "Why is that funny?"

"You know as well as I do that it's only a defense mechanism of hers," Ami explained. Usagi rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Defense mechanism my ass! It doesn't make it right!" Ami's giggles grew louder and turned into a laugh that she couldn't hold in. Usagi glared at her, feeling like Ami was no help.

"Why is this so funny?" she groaned. Ami inched closer to the blonde so that Mamoru couldn't overhear her. "She loves you even if she's acting like a bitch," she whispered. "I think she's at a loss for what to do now. She doesn't know how to get you back – you know, considering all things." Ami moved back to evaluate Usagi's expression. She seemed to be more thoughtful yet dejected at the same time.

"There's no way she and I can have something anymore," she sighed. "I'm bound to my engagement." Ami raised an eyebrow questioningly. "You can always call it off," she suggested under her breath, making sure only Usagi could hear. "Why don't you just do that?" Usagi shook her head.

"I told you before, Ami. It's for my father."

"Why is this engagement so important to him? He has nothing to do with it."

Usagi opened her mouth in an attempt to say something when the phone rang. In turn, she felt her cell phone ring in her pocket. The two looked at each other, thinking the same thing.

The party was drawing closer.

* * *

Rei and Makoto watched as Ami, Usagi, and Mamoru walked toward them. Ami and Usagi had presents for the twins in their hands. Usagi gave hers to Rei once they were closer to them and motioned Ami to do the same.

"Put them in the appropriate places," Usagi declared. Rei nodded. "We have to put the final touches on the back area, so come with me," she said. Looking over to Mamoru, she added, "We could use your help too." Mamoru nodded and the three disappeared inside the shrine.

Makoto watched them leave until they turned a corner. She turned back to Ami who seemed somewhat nervous. Makoto sensed something was up and didn't want whatever was wrong to affect the day negatively. Getting the talk out the way would probably be for the best.

"What's on your mind?"

"I talked to Minako a few days ago."

"Okay…how'd that go?"

"I kind of hit her."

Makoto gave Ami a questioning look, wondering if she heard that correctly. "You _hit_ her?" she asked. Ami looked away and nodded. "Yeah. You told me to talk to her about what happened last week, so I did," she explained. "I just didn't handle it very well." Makoto shook her head, mentally agreeing with the shorter woman. She would have to make sure to apologize to Minako for putting her in that situation.

"Think rationally next time," she sighed. "That isn't like you at all." Ami nodded and embraced the brunette. "I don't want anything to come in between us," she whispered. "I love you, and I want to make sure that you stay here with me. I don't want you to disappear again."

Makoto squeezed her tight. "Well, I'll always be here," she responded. "I'm not going anywhere." As Ami smiled up at her, Makoto mentally frowned, understanding just how deep into trouble she was getting herself into. Pulling away from the hug, she suggested checking on the food that was in the kitchen baking.

Makoto couldn't wait for the party to get underway. When the twins arrived, she could forget everything and just have fun.

* * *

Usagi hummed a merry tune as she picked Minako and the twins up from their parents' house. Now it was time to trek back to the shrine for some fun! Despite the fact that she hated Rei at the moment and the party was at a place that she didn't want to be in at all, she was happy enough to put her issues aside for her nieces. Even with Rei ordering her around, all she cared about was seeing a smile on Hana and Yuriko's faces.

"How does everything look?" Minako whispered, sneaking glances at the twins in the backseat. Usagi briefly gave her the thumbs up. Minako giggled, excited to see what else the day would bring to her daughters. The rest of the car ride was filled with idle chat and unbridled happiness. When the four arrived, the twins raced up the steps with Minako and Usagi chasing after them.

When they got to the top, everything was surprisingly…normal. The twins expressed disappointment, which made Usagi laugh. "Hey, girls, what's that paper over there?" she asked. The twins looked around in the direction their aunt was pointing in. They ran closer to the shrine entrance and found a paper on the ground weighted down with a rock.

_Visit Makoto-sama._

The twins looked at each other, wondering where she could be. "Let's go to her room first," Yuriko said. Hana nodded and ran off with her sister. Usagi pumped her fist up in the air with joy, happy the girls did exactly what they were supposed to do. "Scavenger hunt?" Minako whispered as the two blondes followed them. Usagi nodded, receiving the thumbs up for the idea.

The four arrived at Makoto's room. Upon opening the door, they found that Makoto wasn't there. Walking inside, they looked around. On top of her bed were presents. They grinned as the snatched them up, wondering if they could open them up now. Usagi pointed out another paper, which the twins grabbed and analyzed.

_The coolest miko in the world has a surprise for you._

The girls giggled, wondering what Rei had in store for them. The four left the room and trekked to Rei's. On the way, they found presents outside of the usually forbidden room – Rei's grandfather's room. Minako picked them up for the girls and kept going. Once they arrived at their destination, they found presents on the bed. Usagi picked them up and found another paper.

_Happy Birthday to Hana and Yuriko!_

"Hey, let's go outside," Usagi suggested. The four traveled to the back of the jinja, finding one more group of presents. Now each person had two presents in hand. When they reached outside, they found everyone – even Mamoru – waiting for them. Behind them was a table with a lot of food and goodies under a balloon-covered banner with their names on it. Minako laughed, never thinking they would come up with a surprise party.

"Surprise!"

Giving Usagi and Minako their presents, they ran up to everyone and hugged them all. Today was going to be the best day ever!

* * *

The party was slowly winding down, and everything had gone rather well. The twins were happy, Minako was happy for them, and that made everyone happy. Makoto mused about this awesome day as she grabbed some ice cream from the freezer. She was sure the twins wanted more dessert, so it seemed like a good idea to bring out their favorite treat.

When she turned around, she found Minako in the doorway. "Do you mind coming with me to the supermarket?" she asked. "Rei said she needed to get some 'supplies' although I'm sure she's just trying to get me out of here for some reason." Makoto sighed, hoping Rei didn't do anything stupid.

"I'm guessing she asked you to bring me with you," the brunette inferred. Minako nodded, adding that the twins and Mamoru were staying and that Ami was coming with them. Makoto rubbed her chin, wondering why Rei needed them to evacuate. Rei was definitely planning something, and it probably had something to do with Usagi.

Putting the ice cream away, she followed the shorter woman out the shrine. Once they were at the steps, they found something – or rather, some_one_ – who shouldn't have been there. They stopped in their tracks and Minako stared blankly at the new arrival. It seemed that this person brought a tiny guest as well, which puzzled her greatly.

"Motoki-kun, what are you doing here?" Makoto's voice sounded. Her emerald orbs eyed Motoki and the little girl holding his hand. "I came for Hana and Yuriko's birthday," he answered. "Is that alright?" Before Makoto could respond, Minako interjected, "Who is that?" Motoki looked down at the girl and back to Minako. Taking a deep breath, he said, "This is my daughter, Megumi."

Makoto's jaw dropped slightly as she looked at Minako, who bit her lip as she glared at him. "I thought you said you didn't have another child," she reminded him softly. Everyone could hear the anger in her voice. When no one said anything, Minako started walking down the steps with Makoto trailing behind. "Minako, why are you angry?" she asked. "So he has another kid – big deal. That has nothing to do with you."

"He didn't change after all," Minako explained. Her voice began shaking, worrying Makoto greatly. "He lied to me just like he would have all those years ago. I was hoping he would change, but I guess I should have known better." The two got to the bottom and stood in front of Ami's car. Minako hugged herself and grabbed her arms tight. She gritted her teeth, trying to fathom how she could even trust Motoki. She knew him from the inside out, so why couldn't she see that he was just a liar?

"Before the girls were born, he said he would stay with me no matter how bad things got…but when things got bad, he left without a word!" she continued, raising her voice. "He's the same Motoki who ran away from responsibility! He can never own up to anything! He's just a worthless, good-for-nothing liar!" Tears began to form in her eyes, surprising Makoto. She didn't expect tears – yelling, maybe. Uncertainly, she wrapped her arms around the older woman and patted her head. "Let's just focus on the supermarket and deal with him when we get back," she whispered.

"Motoki-kun, what are you doing here?"

Makoto turned her head when she heard Ami's voice at the top of the stairs. Her heart began racing, not knowing how this would look when Ami joined them. Surely she wouldn't think of anything dirty, right? Minako was crying and needed someone to comfort her, that's all it was!

The tall woman watched Ami make her way down in a hurry, getting ready to tell them whom she had seen. As she called the two, Makoto began to panic even more.

"You're nervous, aren't you?" Minako murmured. Makoto looked down at her. The blonde's face was completely red, and tears were still coming down her face. Makoto tried to step away from her to give her space, but she moved along with the brunette, not letting go.

"Now's your chance," Minako said in her ear. Makoto shifted her eyes between Ami and Minako. Ami was getting closer and closer, not giving her much time to think. Minako gave her a longing glance, but it faded when Ami called her name. Just as she moved away, Makoto pulled her close and planted a kiss on her lips.

* * *

Usagi crossed her arms and mentally groaned. Rei had sent everyone off so that they could be alone. Mamoru was with the twins somewhere and Minako had been told to go to the supermarket with Makoto and Ami. Rei was stubborn and never knew when to quit. Why couldn't she just take a hint and leave her alone?

"I'm sorry," the miko sighed. "I was really dumb, and you have every right to be mad at me." She held her breath for a second, watching Usagi warily. Then she continued, "Still, I can't let you be with Mamoru."

Usagi rolled her eyes. "I'm not having this conversation," she stated. She turned to walk away and find Mamoru and the girls, but Rei grabbed her wrist. "I'm won't let you be with someone who hurts you," she explained. Usagi laughed sarcastically, throwing her head back at the irony. "I couldn't be with either of you then."

Rei stepped in front of her and pushed Usagi against the wall. Before the shorter woman could begin her whining, Rei covered her mouth. "You and I both know that he can't love you the way I can," she whispered. "He doesn't love you as much as I do." Usagi glared at the older woman, trying to muster up as much hate for Rei as she possibly could. In all honesty, she couldn't. Rei's words were true, but she couldn't admit it.

She slapped Rei's hand away and moved from her spot against the wall. "You're not worth the trouble you cause," she said. "Why can't you just figure out what you want?"

"I want you, and I'm going to have you," Rei promised. "You can act like you're fine with Mamoru all you want, but we both know the truth."

"What's the truth?"

Rei looked over her shoulder and found Mamoru a few feet away. She looked over to Usagi and nodded her head in his direction, silently telling her to answer. Usagi felt like a deer caught in headlights even though she had done nothing wrong. What if she said the wrong thing? She didn't want today to get worse.

There was a long silence between the three. Usagi thought she vaguely heard Minako yelling outside, but she couldn't tell. Her heart was pounding hard in her chest, and the sound filled her ears. Rei and Mamoru watched her and waited for an answer. She opened her mouth and closed it, opened it again, and closed it. She could either hurt Rei just to be spiteful or tell Mamoru how she really felt.

"I'll be right back, everyone!" Ami's voice called through the shrine. Rei called back to acknowledge their departing friend without taking her eyes off the blonde. "I think he wants an answer, Usagi," she pointed out. Usagi looked at Mamoru, and he didn't look too happy. As time passed, he looked angrier and angrier with each minute that passed. Usagi's silence was answer enough.

Rei noticed fear slowly coming out of Usagi through her static expression. The priestess looked over at Mamoru and saw what Usagi saw. In an attempt to protect her, the taller woman stood in front of her just in case something happened. "She'd rather be with me," she answered for Usagi.

"Rei, I'm sick and tired of you!" Mamoru fumed. "You're never going to have Usagi, so just get over it!" He walked up to the two women and pushed Rei out of the way. Telling Usagi they were leaving, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward him.

Rei glared at him, wondering how he had the nerve to touch her. She rushed up to him ready to get physical, but he stopped her before she could do anything. Letting go of Usagi, he threw Rei against the wall, and her back hit it with a thud. He gripped her shoulder tight and watched her wince in pain.

"If you don't want to get hurt, stay away from Usagi," he ordered. Usagi tried to pull him away from Rei, but he shrugged her off. Her attempts to stop the violence were incessant, so he did what he had to in order for her to stop. He turned to her and slapped her hard across the face. Rei's eyes flashed red, and something in her mind snapped.

"Anyone home?"

Everyone stopped at the sound of a familiar voice. Whatever had happened before then was completely forgotten as the three listened to the footsteps that got closer. Usagi looked down the hallway, where the person would eventually appear.

What was Motoki doing here?

-End Chapter Twelve-

_Getting excited to finish this, a few more chapters I believe :D Til next time_

_Serenity101_


	14. Chapter 13

How Love Should Be

_Summary: Usagi is happily engaged to Mamoru. They're labeled as the perfect couple, so what's wrong? Everything. Minako is a single mother who strives to take care of her children. What happens when someone wants to love her? Everything. How should love really be?_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon._

Chapter Thirteen

Rei and Usagi were sitting at the table in the kitchen, leaning back in the their chairs. Motoki stood next to them, looking at both women. Usagi was chewing the inside of her cheek to keep herself from crying for whatever reason, and Rei was simply watching Usagi. He could tell something was up from the way Mamoru had stormed off early, but was it right to intervene?

"Did I come at a bad time?" the blond asked unsurely. Rei simply nodded and kept silent. Figuring he wouldn't get much more information, he turned to Usagi and said, "I left Megumi with Hana and Yuriko. Is that…okay with…you?"

Motoki lost his voice when Usagi looked into his eyes. Her face was full confusion and frustration. "Who's that?" Rei asked. Having seen Usagi's expression change, the miko knew this person was important. Besides, who did Motoki think he was – appearing out of the blue after so many years and bringing some woman into her home?

"His daughter," Usagi answered shakily. Rei whipped her head in Motoki's direction, her eyes almost popping out of their sockets. "Come again?" she exclaimed. "Wait! Usagi, how do you know that?" Usagi put a hand on hers to quiet her, hoping the girls wouldn't be disturbed by the commotion. "Why did you come here?" she murmured darkly. "You really have no right to be here. Did Minako see Megumi? Did you even tell Minako about her?"

"We ran into her on the way up," Motoki groaned, remembering how Minako had screamed when she had left with Makoto. "I just wanted to see my daughters, that's all. Is that wrong?"

"After you've abandoned them for years?" Rei whispered heatedly, afraid she would yell. "You shouldn't even be allowed to call them your children!"

All of a sudden, a shrill shriek was heard somewhere in the jinja. The two women sprung up out of their chairs and followed Motoki to the source of the scream. He ended up going to Makoto's room, where he had found the twins the first time. Opening the door, he saw Yuriko and Megumi on the floor and Hana jumping on the bed. Megumi was clutching her head and Yuriko seemed to be tending to her. Upon seeing the adults, Hana and Yuriko looked at each other and began to play the blame game.

"You pushed her off the bed!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Enough!"

Rei's voice sounded throughout the room, instilling fear into the twins' hearts for just a moment. They gaped at the raven-haired woman, waiting for her to speak.

"What happened?"

"Furuhata-san brought Megumi-chan to play with us!" Hana explained as she hopped onto the floor. "She was fun until Hana pushed her off the bed," Yuriko continued. Before the girls were able to fight again, Usagi came between them and picked up Megumi. Sighing, she stroked her head while reprimanding the girls. Hana and Yuriko apologized as they lowered their heads.

The three adults looked at each other. Rei was still confused and really wanted to know what was going on. "Seriously, how did you know this girl was his daughter?" she inquired. Usagi looked to Motoki, who gave her a troubled glance and shrugged. Shaking her head, she said not to worry about it.

* * *

Minako and Makoto watched as their ride drove down the street. An upset Ami had dropped them off at the shrine, though they were surprised Ami actually took them to the supermarket and back. The two had only gotten two bottles of soda for the both of them. If Rei expected something, she was about to be sorely disappointed.

"That was awkward," Makoto sighed as they began up the stairs. Minako agreed as she held her soda behind her back. "It could have been worse I suppose," she shrugged. The two remained silent for a moment until Makoto remembered something.

"Hey, Minako?"

"Yeah?"

"Ami told me about hitting you a few days ago. I wanted to apologize for putting you in that situation."

"Don't worry about it. I deserved it. I'm surprised she didn't hit either of us before."

Makoto nodded in agreement but kept silent after that. The two didn't utter a word until they got to the top. They expected to hear the twins playing around somewhere, but they heard nothing. They ventured inside the shrine, wondering if Motoki was still there. When they got to the kitchen, their question was soon answered.

"What's he still doing here?" Minako asked upon seeing Motoki leaning against the kitchen counter. Then she looked to Rei, who sat at one end of the table, and Usagi, who sat at the opposite end. The younger blonde held Motoki's child in her arms calmly and gently. Minako's face twisted into something expressing bewilderment and outrage. She pointed to the small girl when she realized she couldn't speak.

"I know right?" Rei said softly, trying to not alert the girl that they were talking about her. "It's crazy, isn't it?" Minako glared at Motoki, letting all the resentment and anger she felt towards him build up inside her. She clenched her fists and looked ready to pounce. Motoki tiptoed his way to the farthest corner of the room, hoping she wouldn't go after him. Just as Minako began to move, Makoto grabbed her and held her back.

"Why couldn't you just stay gone?" Minako yelled. "Hana and Yuriko are fine without you!" Usagi sent her an angry look as she pressed Megumi's head closer to her chest, hoping all the screaming wouldn't frighten her. Minako returned it, continuing, "How can you hold _her_? That's just another product of his irresponsibilities!"

"Shut up!"

The room grew silent as everyone looked at Motoki, who had inched his way out of the corner. "Yeah, I ran away from you and my daughters, and I'm sorry I didn't see the damage I'd done," he said. "I've messed up a lot, and now I'm paying for it. Megumi is how I make up for it all; I've taken care of her since day one on my own. She's not a 'product' of something gone wrong – she's my daughter. Be mad at me all you want, but don't ever say anything about Megumi."

Astonished expressions filled the room. The four women had never known Motoki could raise his voice or talk about something with conviction. Minako was completely speechless, not knowing if there was anything to say after that. Perhaps he had grown up after all.

* * *

Glass scattered across the kitchen floor. Ami threw whatever she could get her hands on – plates, wine glasses, anything. Nothing was safe from her rage. She imagined everything in her hand was Minako or Makoto, driving her to throw the object as hard as she could. She couldn't believe Makoto would do that to her! From the looks of it, it wasn't necessarily Minako's fault, but she still felt resentment towards Minako. She wanted answers, but she didn't want to talk to either of them. Eventually, she would have to face them, but she didn't think she could do that.

"Why?" Ami yelled. "Why couldn't she just love me?" The blue haired woman grabbed one more object, but she couldn't bring herself to throw it. She sunk down to the floor, cutting her knees on the glass. She felt the pain, but it couldn't compare to how Makoto and Minako made her feel.

* * *

Usagi and Rei sat a few feet away from Makoto's room, listening to Minako and Motoki tell Hana, Yuriko, and Megumi how the three were related. The twins sounded amazed as they asked their questions, but Megumi was relatively silent. Usagi smiled slightly, knowing Megumi was a shy girl, especially compared to the twins. The blonde looked to Rei, wondering how she was taking the news. She seemed to be okay, though Usagi couldn't tell from her almost expressionless face.

"Today turned out to be a disaster, don't you think?" Rei asked softly. She stared at the wall in front of her and hugged her knees to her chest, listening to the conversation between Minako, Motoki, and the children. Usagi didn't say anything, as Minako's voice seemed to echo into the hallway.

"Girls, Furuhata-papa loves you just as much as I do…"

Usagi giggled, knowing Minako had some trouble saying that.

"…but we can't be together because I don't love him they way I used to."

"So we won't live together?" Hana asked, sounding disappointed. "But Megumi-chan is so much fun!" Yuriko exclaimed.

Usagi and Rei both smiled at that, happy the girls liked each other. "If all ends well, it won't be a total failure," Usagi finally answered." What about you? What will you do after today?" Rei inquired, turning to face the younger woman. Usagi laughed softly and shrugged. "Stay at Ami's place I guess," she replied.

There was a moment of silence between the two until something hit them both. "Where's Ami?" they wondered aloud. As if on cue, Makoto walked down the hallway with a drink in hand. "So, what did I miss?" she whispered, motioning to the door. Rei briefly updated the brunette, hoping to get some answers out of her.

Before Makoto could relax after hearing what had happened, Usagi asked where Ami had gone. It caused the younger woman to tense up for a moment. "She went home," she answered simply. "Why? Did something happen?" Usagi pressed. Makoto took a sip of her drink but soon regretted it. It left a bad taste in her mouth now that Ami had been brought up.

"She thought it would be best if she went home."

"But why?"

Rei and Usagi surrounded the younger woman, determined to find out why Ami had gone home. Makoto was beginning to sweat bullets as she looked around for a way out. Each time her eyes caught a glimpse of blue and amethyst, she gulped and sunk down until she was lying on the floor. Rei and Usagi hovered over her and stared her down, willing to wait for as long as they had to for some info. Besides, it was fun to watch her squirm.

"She's upset with me at the moment," Makoto murmured slowly. "We're kind of _not_ together right now…" Usagi's eyes grew wide as she gasped. She grabbed Makoto's shirt and shook her around in anger. "What the hell did you do?" she shouted. Rei's jaw dropped for a moment, but she quickly recovered upon realizing what must have happened. "Why today?" she groaned.

Usagi continued to yell at Makoto, causing Minako to poke her head out the room to figure out what was going on. Makoto grabbed the smaller girl's wrist and tried to quiet her down, but there was no use. Rei slapped her forehead, finding that today had been a definite disaster.

* * *

"So, what happens now?"

"I don't know."

"_Your _birthday is the next one to look out for, isn't it?"

"Let's not even talk about that."

Makoto chuckles at Minako's response. She reached over the twins' sleeping bodies to rub the blonde's shoulder, generating a sigh of bliss for her action. Makoto, Minako, and the twins were all lying in Minako's bed. The twins were fast asleep and wedged between Makoto and Minako.

Makoto had escorted them home and decided to stay the night. Usagi was staying with Rei since Ami wasn't coming back for any reason. The brunette needed to distance herself from Usagi for the time being until things cooled down.

"Today was a crazy day, huh?" Makoto whispered. Minako smiled slightly in the dark. "Yeah. In a way, I'm glad it happened," she said. "Why?" Makoto inquired.

"Because we're finally together again."

"But what about Ami?"

"We'll figure it out."

Makoto didn't like that answer, and it left room for stalling for time. Deciding not to say anything, she resigned herself to her thoughts. She had remembered Rei saying something about Ami and Minako that almost gave her some peace of mind yet left her heart uneasy.

"_There's one major difference between Ami and Minako. Ami moves on; she'll be upset for a while, but she'll get over it and move on.__Minako, however, never moves on."_

That meant everyone would be connected again, right? The divide between the five that was slowly making itself known could be repaired in the near future, couldn't it?

* * *

"You alright, Usagi?"

"No. Ami didn't answer her phone, and I'm worried about her."

"I'm sure you can reach her tomorrow. Go to my room and get some sleep. I'll be in Makoto's room if you need me."

Rei watched Usagi nod as the blonde sat at the table. The raven-haired woman packed away the last of the food from the party and bid Usagi goodnight. She wasn't going to press her luck with Usagi. Mamoru's eviler side did show itself, yes, but that wasn't going to make Usagi forgive Rei just like that. Maybe time and space would do Usagi some good.

"You know, I was scared earlier."

Rei stopped dead in her tracks and turned to face Usagi. She tilted her head, wondering what she was talking about. Usagi stood up and hugged her tight, nuzzling her head on Rei's collarbone. Unsure of what to do, Rei patted her back. When Usagi didn't say anything, she hesitantly wrapped her arms around the shorter woman. Her actions were not met with scorn like she thought they would be. Contrarily, Usagi hugged tighter and tighter. Her body began to shake, and hiccups disrupted her steady breathing. Rei attempted to move away to see Usagi's tears so she could wipe them away, but Usagi wouldn't budge.

"Usagi, what's wrong?"

"I was afraid!" she exclaimed. "I thought Mamoru would do something to you! I didn't want you to stand up to him! I thought he was going to hurt you!"

Rei smiled as she held Usagi more confidently. "Maybe he would have," she shrugged. "I'll make him pay for hitting you like that." Usagi shook her head, saying she didn't want Rei to get involved with Mamoru again. Bad things would only result from it.

The two women eventually ended up in Rei's bed. The priestess was waiting for Usagi to drift off to sleep so that she could go to Makoto's room as she originally intended.

In the meantime, she had to figure out a way to reconnect her friends together. Rei and Usagi's relationship was always rather shaky; Makoto, Minako, and Ami's relationship had been completely destroyed apparently; and Usagi was pretty upset with Makoto. If all these cracks remained, there would never be chance of seeing everyone together ever again. Rei had to figure out something and fast.

-End Chapter Twelve-

_Yay! Another chapter out! Over the course of writing this, I got sick ): Hopefully I'll recover soon! Until next time_

_Serenity101_


	15. Chapter 14

How Love Should Be

_Summary: Usagi is happily engaged to Mamoru. They're labeled as the perfect couple, so what's wrong? Everything. Minako is a single mother who strives to take care of her children. What happens when someone wants to love her? Everything. How should love really be?_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon._

Chapter Fourteen

_The next day…_

Rei sat on Makoto's bed with her legs crossed, staring at the house phone pensively. She silently listened to Usagi's voice as the blonde talked to Ami with her cell phone, and it made her wonder if calling Makoto was even such a good idea. Her eyes glazed over the numbers on the phone, trying to will herself to call her friend. She had to call before Usagi stopped talking to Ami. If she knew Makoto was on the phone, she would probably freak out.

Sighing, she dialed Makoto's number and put the phone next to her ear. The phone rang and rang, but no one picked up. At the same time, something began to vibrate. "Damn," Rei huffed. Makoto had left her phone here. Now she had to call Minako, which made things more difficult. Quickly, she dialed Minako's number and listened to the ringing on the other end.

"_Hello?"_

"Hey, Minako, it's Rei. Is Makoto there?"

"_Not right now. She went on a errand for me."_

"Oh, alright. I guess I can talk to you instead."

"_What's up?"_

"What happened yesterday that made Ami upset?"

There was a silence on Minako's end for a moment, but she seemed to recover quickly.

"_Remember when I told you that if Makoto did what she had to do, we would be together?"_

"Yeah, what of it?"

"_She did what she had to do."_

Rei rolled her eyes at Minako. Why did she always have to beat around the bush? "And what was that exactly? I'm pretty sure you never told me."

"_She had to kiss me in front of Ami."_

Rei put the phone down beside her and bent over, covering her face with her hands. She was resisting the urge to scream but was having a very hard time. She couldn't believe Minako would come up with something like that. Well sure, this was Minako she was talking about – she would do anything in order to get what she wanted – but seriously! Why would she go that far? Recomposing herself, she picked up the phone and shook her head.

"I think you should apologize to Ami as soon as possible."

"_I know, but I don't know how or when."_

"Don't worry about that. I think I can handle the how and the when."

(Actually, she had no idea what to do.)

"_If you say so."_

"I'm going to give Ami a call. If something comes up, I'll let you know."

"_Sounds good. Talk to you later."_

Rei hung up after saying her goodbyes and looked at the door. It was closed, but she knew Usagi was hiding behind it. "You can come in if you want," Rei spoke, causing Usagi to slide the door open. "How did you know I was there?" Usagi asked sheepishly, wondering what gave her away. "I'm a shrine priestess, remember?" Rei grinned. "So, what did Ami say?"

"I asked her what happened yesterday, and she told me Makoto kissed Minako right in front of her," the blonde explained. Rei nodded, having confirmation for Minako's story (though she didn't need it). "I tried calling Makoto, but she wasn't available," Rei said. "I got Minako instead, and she told me the same thing."

"Why would Makoto do something like that? Ami loved her so much, and she just threw all that love away!"

"I'm sure she had her reasons, though I do agree what she didn't wasn't right at all," Rei stated. "I'm going to call Ami and ask her if we can swing by sometime soon. At the rate all of this is going, we won't be friends anymore. We really need to talk."

Usagi nodded and began dialing Ami's number again for Rei. As the younger woman gave her the phone, she hoped that her newly formed plan would work.

* * *

_An hour later…_

Minako had been lying on the couch for a while as she waited for Makoto's return. Her girlfriend was supposed to be at the grocery store, so she didn't really understand what was taking so long. While watching the twins watch TV, she had received a call from Motoki, which was rather surprising. She didn't know whether it was a good idea to entertain the thought of having a conversation with him at that moment, but she took the plunge and hoped for the best.

They had mostly talked about the twins, Megumi, and where he had gone after high school. Motoki had said he had only left Juuban but not Tokyo. He got into a relationship with a girl he met in college and made the same mistake he made with Minako – he had another child. However, the tables had turned because the newborn Megumi had been dumped on him, and his 'girlfriend' left him. Ever since then, he had been trying to take care of Megumi on his own. Somewhere along the way, he figured he could return to Juuban and see if Minako would give him another chance.

Minako had let him do all the talking, thinking that Motoki had it hard just like she did with the birth of the girls. Before Minako could say something in response to his story, Makoto finally returned. The twins got up and ran towards her, prepared to help her with the bags so that they could play with her sooner rather than later. Minako bid Motoki farewell, saying she would give him a call later. Hastily, she hung up the phone and walked over to Makoto.

"Hey, sorry for taking so long," Makoto said. "The store didn't have all the stuff you asked for, so I was running all over the place." Closing the door for the brunette, Minako said it was okay. She leaned over for a kiss and closed her eyes. Seconds later, she felt soft lips on top of hers, though only for a moment. As they walked to the kitchen, Makoto asked, "Who was on the phone? You sounded like you were having a fun conversation before I came back."

Minako hesitated to answer, but she thought she might as well. There was nothing to be jealous or suspicious about, right?

"I was talking to Motoki…well, he did most of the talking," she explained. "After yesterday, he just wanted to talk."

"About what?"

Minako soon regretted bringing up Motoki after seeing the look on Makoto's face.

"About the girls and how he got to where he is now."

"Sounds like fun alright."

"Rei called," Minako remembered, changing the subject as fast as she could. "She asked for you."

"Oh? Did she say anything?"

"She said we should apologize to Ami as soon as we can."

As they walked into the kitchen, Makoto turned around with a confused look on her face. "She knows what happened? How?"

"I told her."

"Why?"

"Why not?"

The only sound audible in the room was the rustling of paper bags as the twins put whatever was inside the bags away. Makoto's emerald eyes questioned Minako's decision to tell Rei so soon (and without her), but she eventually shrugged it off.

"Well, Rei's right," Makoto sighed. "We should apologize, but when would be the right time?" Minako remembered what Rei said before. She said she would handle everything, so that meant she had a plan.

"I'm sure the right time will be soon."

* * *

_A few days later…_

Ami opened the door with a sigh. Rei had told her that she wanted to hang out and talk about the issues they were going through. They both had problems – primarily Usagi for the priestess and Makoto and Minako for Ami – and talking it out seemed liked a good idea. Besides, it had been a while since she and Rei had a nice one-on-one conversation. At Rei's suggestion, she had bought some booze and other drinks of the alcoholic persuasion. The blue-haired woman didn't really like alcohol like that, but today was going to be a long day and unwinding would be very necessary.

Swinging the door wide open, she was surprised by what she saw. Rei was there as planned, but she brought a few uninvited guests. Minako and Makoto were standing on either side of Rei, both sharing the same look as they avoided her gaze. Usagi entered the apartment and embraced Ami. "If you hate either of them, it's okay," she whispered. She grinned at her friend and gave her the thumbs up. Ami watched Usagi enter the kitchen for a second but swiftly turned back to the other three who hadn't entered yet.

"What is this?" Ami asked. "We need to talk. All of us. To each other," Rei answered. "We've been friends for too long to split up like this." The raven-haired woman gave Makoto a pat on the back, prompting her to go inside. Minako noticed the movement and followed. "You have drinks, right?" Ami sighed, knowing Rei wouldn't give up on this idea of a 'talk.'

"You say that this is for all of us," Ami began, "but this is really for you dealing with Usagi, isn't it?" Rei shook her head, saddened Ami would think that. "I just want our friendship to be what it used to be," she sighed.

With that, she finally stepped inside the apartment and went to the living room where Makoto and Minako were. Apparently, Usagi was still in the kitchen. "Ready for this?" Rei asked the blonde. Minako stared at her, her eyes holding some sort of fear to them. Rei had told them on the way there that they would have a simple talk. She had a clue of what had to be done today in accordance to Rei's plan. Now that she had already stepped into hell, there was no turning back.

Minutes later, Usagi and Ami entered the room with cups (the ones that survived Ami's wrath days before). They set them on the coffee table and sat on the couch. Rei looked at Makoto and Minako and pointed to the floor, silently telling them to sit where they stood. Rei sat next to Minako and hoped that the coffee table would prevent anyone from jumping another on the opposite side.

Usagi, who had been looking rather cheerful since her arrival, took a sip of her drink. Her spirits were noticeably lifted much higher, which began to worry everyone. "Maybe you shouldn't have this," Ami groaned as she reached for the blonde's cup. Usagi put the cup out of Ami's reach and grinned. "Don't worry about me," she said. "So what's this all about, Rei?"

"We're breaking apart, and I know you've all noticed," Rei stated. "We've been hurting each other and now we've got to put an end to that. I love all of you too much to let hate, pettiness, and lies separate us from each other." Rei paused for a moment to let that sink in. Everyone seemed to understand, so she continued. "So now I'm going to try something that will hopefully bring us closer together. I want everyone to tell us their secrets – it has to be relevant to the five of us. That's all you have to do."

Makoto, Minako, Usagi, and Ami looked at each other for a moment. It seemed like it was a bad idea that had good intentions, but they would see how this would go. If they were lucky, maybe they _would_ be closer at the end of this exercise.

"I'll go first," Usagi volunteered. "I don't know if this is relevant per se, but this has to do with Motoki." (This caused Minako raised an eyebrow, wondering how she had involved herself with Motoki.) Before she could say what was on her mind, she remembered Ami never came back to the Hikawa Jinja after Rei had sent her off with Makoto and Minako. That meant she never saw the drama unfold after Motoki arrived.

"Ami, you weren't here for this," Usagi started to explain, "but you saw Motoki before you left, right?" Ami nodded. "And you saw the little girl with him, right?" Another nod. "Well, that girl was his daughter, Megumi." Ami looked at Minako as if to confirm Usagi's statement. "He had another child after he left Juuban," the older blonde verified. Ami turned to Usagi and stayed quiet to hear what she had to say.

"Okay, so here's the secret," Usagi announced. "Considering the fact that Motoki and Mamoru are friends, I always heard from Motoki. When Megumi was born, Motoki asked Mamoru to baby-sit for him while he worked. Mamoru was never really good at babysitting, so eventually I was the one taking care of her."

"That's how you know her?" Rei asked incredulously. "I knew it wouldn't be a good idea to tell anyone about Motoki's business, so I kept quiet," Usagi sighed and shrugged.

At that point, Minako's cup had been half empty. She didn't want to say stuff like 'Why didn't you tell me this before?' because her dirt was a lot worse than that. Plus, it wasn't any of her business unless Motoki said something about it to her.

"Oh yeah, one more thing. Makoto, Ami, you both never knew this, but the reason why I haven't left Mamoru is because my father has an arranged marriage planned out for me…"

"Wait, excuse me?" Makoto jumped. "Since when?" Ami shouted. "Since I was 18," Usagi answered. "I can pick the day everything happens, but I've been stalling for time for years now…I don't think I can keep that up anymore. But yeah, that's it."

"Ami?" Rei spoke, shifting her focus to younger woman. Ami shook her head, saying she had nothing of interest to tell them. "Don't take advantage of the honor system," Rei warned. "Like the rest of you did? I wouldn't do that since you guys _are_ my friends," Ami jeered. Rei laughed at the sarcasm. It raised the question of whether or not the five would be friends after this meeting.

As Usagi asked whether Ami considered her a friend or not, Makoto threw her head back and pinched the bridge of her nose. The tone in Ami's voice and her choice of words stabbed her right in the heart. Yeah, Ami was calling everyone out on their bullshit, reminding them of every mistake, every wrong, every sin they committed against each other. It was obvious that she was angry, but Makoto felt this treatment wasn't fair. Of course, Ami had the right to make her feel like crap ever since the _incident_.

Makoto's sudden movement caught Rei's attention, which only meant one thing: she was going next. "Makoto?" she called. Makoto looked into everyone's eyes for a second. They were all curious to hear what she had to say (Minako looked almost afraid, knowing much more than the others). Once everything was out, no one would leave happy.

"Well, there's not much to say on my end," Makoto shrugged. "I mean, Minako and I went out somewhere during middle school and we never told anyone. We were fine until high school – when Motoki came along."

"That's when you and I…" Ami trailed off. She couldn't finish her sentence. The thought of being with Makoto was painful. The short pause allowed Usagi and Rei to ask some questions. It surprised Rei to find out there was something Makoto never told her about. The other four always confided in her and told her everything. How did she miss this?

"So every time I asked you if you liked anyone – especially when I asked if it was Makoto – you lied when you said no?" Usagi inquired. Minako nodded. Before anyone could say anything else, Minako held her hand up. "She's not done yet." The blonde gave her beloved a look – she was still afraid – and motioned her to continue.

"We were also sort of together while she and Motoki were a 'thing,'" Makoto explained. "It was awkward and very shaky. It ended pretty quickly." Ami narrowed her eyes as she glared at Makoto and Minako, feeling betrayed all over again. That whole time when she and Makoto had been together, their 'relationship' had been an entire lie. Was it fair to say Makoto was cheating on her despite not loving her? Perhaps it was better to say she was just the girl on the side. Why did things have to be this way?

Usagi and Rei shared an expression of confusion. "You were…while Minako was…huh?" Usagi stammered. "Technically, we broke up for a while," Makoto said, trying to make sense of it hastily. "She was more interested in him than me at the time, but she couldn't figure out who she wanted to be with."

Minako hung her head and covered her face with her hands. It was apparent that she wanted to say something, but she decided not to. Rei stared at them both in disbelief, not understanding them at all. Not wanting to go into too much detail, she announced Minako's turn. Lifting her head up, she looked at Ami first directly in her eyes. "What you heard from Makoto was basically everything…" Then she looked at Usagi and Rei, taking a deep breath and exhaling out of her mouth. "But there's something else you should know about…" Rei stared at Usagi as well, which began to worry the blonde.

"What?"

"Kenji wanted to know if you were with anyone back when we were in high school," Minako murmured. "Around that time, you were hanging out with Mamoru, and Kenji took a liking to him. I used to tell him over and over that I didn't know if you were with anyone. Of course, that was a lie since you were dating Rei at the time. He told me to make sure you weren't dating; it was about the arranged marriage. He said it was for your sake, and I wanted to do anything for you if it benefited you. With Rei's help, I organized everything for your eighteenth birthday."

Usagi's eyes widened. "All of that…was on purpose?"

"Yeah."

"Rei, you just went along with it? Why would you do that?"

Rei hugged her knees to her chest and said, "If it were for your well-being, I'd do anything for you."

"If you loved me, wouldn't you have stayed with me?"

"I was going to at first, but Minako said it was for your own good…you were supposed to be well off and happy."

Usagi downed the rest of her drink in an attempt to stop herself from screaming. Ami tried to calm her down, but she wasn't having it.

"I was already well off!" she exclaimed. "I was already happy! What more did I need?" Tears began to pool in her eyes. The burning sensation made her want to blink, but that would let the tears escape. She rubbed her eyes quickly and swallowed the lump forming in her throat.

She was ready to give Rei a piece of her mind, but no words could come out of her mouth when she tried to speak. The more she thought about what Rei and Minako had done to her, the more tears formed in her eyes again. Before she could stop herself, she began to cry uncontrollably. Ami grabbed the sobbing woman and tried to quiet her down.

Rei clenched her teeth as she watched the one she loved cry. She wanted to shed tears of her own – angry tears for the dumb things she had done – with Usagi, but she couldn't do that in front of everyone like that. She looked down, wondering where everyone would go from here.

-End Chapter Fourteen-

_Yay for an update! Everything is coming together and I can actually coherently write something cohesive :D Until next time_

_Serenity101_


	16. Chapter 15

How Love Should Be

_Summary: Usagi is happily engaged to Mamoru. They're labeled as the perfect couple, so what's wrong? Everything. Minako is a single mother who strives to take care of her children. What happens when someone wants to love her? Everything. How should love really be?_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon._

Chapter Fifteen

Everyone had finally 'recomposed' themselves, though in a way they didn't expect. They had a few more drinks in order to wind down, but that proved to be a bad idea. They all got bouncy and lost focus of what they were talking about in the first place. Usagi, more tipsy than anyone else, chattered about nonsense and said whatever came to mind. The other four women listened and laughed at her. It was as if they were all friends again, which was great – nothing was wrong with that. Once they sobered up, would they remember all the bad things and hate each other again?

Time passed by, and the sun was going down. The drinks had been put away much to Usagi's dismay. Ami and Rei were the least intoxicated, so they managed to draw the main focus of the discussion back to the others' attention.

"Are we done here, Rei?" Ami asked. Rei shrugged, saying that if anyone had anything to say, they could say it now. No one said anything, bringing Ami relief. "Then we're almost done," Rei answered finally. "Now we all know each other's secrets. I want everyone to apologize to someone for whatever they've done. Simple enough."

Ami inwardly groaned at the thought of talking directly to Makoto or Minako. She didn't have anything to apologize for, but those two did. Besides, she didn't want everyone to hear every word that she said if she had something important (or just plain mean) to tell someone. It would be embarrassing!

"Can we do this individually or something?" the blue-haired woman asked. "Please?" Rei mentally chuckled at Ami as she watched her cheeks develop a light shade of pink. She agreed and let everyone partner off, though one person would be left out. Ami grabbed Rei in an attempt to prolong talking to Makoto or Minako; and Usagi snagged Makoto's attention so that she didn't have to talk to her sister right away. Minako sat farther away from the two groups and watched them absentmindedly, not really listening to what they had to say.

* * *

_Rei and Ami…_

"Well, I apologize for surprising you like this. It was necessary though."

"It's okay. I don't really see how this is going to fix anything though."

"Maybe it won't right away, but it will later. Trust me."

Ami scoffed, knowing what trusting her so-called friends got her – a broken heart.

* * *

_Makoto and Usagi…_

"I'm sorry for never telling you I was in an arranged marriage. I didn't really want anyone to know."

"How did Ami know?"

"She's my confidante. I can tell her everything."

"You can tell me anything too. Or any of us."

"Whatever, Miss I-like-hurting-people."

"I'm sorry that I hurt you by hurting Ami. Oh, and I'm sorry about keeping my relationship with Minako a secret. We were insecure back then. We were afraid you all would think of us differently."

"Then what made you tell everyone about you and Ami? Besides, when I was with Rei none of you said anything. So why would we have said anything about you and my sister?"

"I didn't tell anyone anything. Ami did all the talking, remember? And that's just it – it was your sister. You would have been different towards me in order to make sure Minako wouldn't get hurt, and you would have watched us all the time. Neither of us wanted that."

Usagi crossed her arms and rolled her eyes, knowing it was true although she didn't want to admit it. She knew Makoto was being sincere but she was still upset that the younger woman had been such a _mean_ _person_ (for the lack of a better term). First, the brunette was messing around with her sister, and then she messed with Ami's heart for _years_. Makoto needed to get her act together – and fast.

* * *

Minako watched as the others talked. She wasn't really listening to their voices, and no one seemed to notice that she was gawking at them. In her head, she thought of all the possible things she could say to them and how it wouldn't even be enough. She could apologize for the rest of her life, and it would never be enough for them.

The older blonde had been at the center of almost every problem the five encountered. She had caused Rei and Usagi to break up; she had been the reason why Makoto entered a relationship with Ami in the first place; and she had carried all these secrets up until this point. The thought grabbed at her heart, and it made tears well up in her eyes.

She was always going to be sorry for the things she had done, but it was never going to be enough.

"Alright, time to rotate."

Minako looked up at Rei, who told her to sit in front of Ami. Taking a deep breath, she hoped for the best.

* * *

_Minako and Ami…_

"I'm sorry for everything. If you decide not to talk to me ever again, I won't blame you."

"I'm sorry I've been in your way for so long. Maybe if you had said something before, I wouldn't have even fathomed liking Makoto."

A sigh escaped Minako's lips. The moment they closed, they formed a frown.

"Although that was sarcasm, you shouldn't be sorry for anything. Everything was my fault. I could ask for forgiveness all I want, but that won't help anything – I understand that. If you decide to give me another chance, you know where to find me."

* * *

_Usagi and Rei…_

"Sorry for being a bad person."

"You're not a bad person, you just make bad decisions."

"But I've hurt you so many times."

"Yeah, well…I've forgiven you each time, haven't I?"

Rei's demeanor seemed to brighten up, but she didn't say anything. Usagi figured that she should continue.

"Remember the day when your grandfather yelled at you for stealing his H-manga one day?"

"Which I totally didn't do? Yeah, what of it?"

"You're right – you didn't steal it. Minako and I did and put the blame on you. Sorry!"

Rei felt like she had two options: get mad about something that happened in the past or laugh about it. She stared at Usagi, who was being very serious and meant what she said, and slowly smiled at her.

"I figured," she shrugged. Moving closer to the blonde, she whispered. "How else would you have learned how to…" Each word Usagi heard made her face turn into a darker shade of red. She couldn't believe Rei even remotely remembered any of their _alone time_.

* * *

Out of the corner of her eyes, Makoto watched Minako and Ami sit, apparently having nothing else to say to the other. She was even more nervous now, since it looked like Ami was never going to forgive either of them. She deserved that much, but she still wanted to be close to Ami in some way.

"Time to switch."

Makoto jumped slightly at Rei's voice. She thought she might have had a little bit more time before facing Ami. She took a deep breath, exhaled, and moved over to Ami's spot.

* * *

_Ami and Makoto…_

"I'm sorry for hurting you so much."

"I'm sorry for ever loving you."

"If you never want to talk to me again after this, I understand."

"How could you do this to me? Did you even have an ounce of love for me – ever?"

"Of course I did. Things were just really complicated before everyone went their separate ways, you know? I'm sorry for putting you in the middle of all the confusion."

"The day we all went out for lunch…and the day that I talked to Minako about my suspicions…I really wanted to believe that there was nothing going on…"

Makoto bit the inside of her cheek as she watched Ami. The older woman broke eye contact and tried to swallow the lump creeping up her throat. She struggled to keep the tears away while taking deep breaths. The brunette shook her head – at herself – upset that she made Ami feel this way.

* * *

_Usagi and Minako…_

"I'm sorry for destroying your relationship with Rei."

"You never listened to Dad before, so why did you do it _then_?"

Minako played with her thumbs, a blush slowly creeping up her face. She looked away, not really wanting to answer. Usagi leaned towards her and bent low in an attempt to find her sister's eyes. Minako only leaned back and let her eyes wander elsewhere.

"Minako?"

Minako looked back for a moment. Usagi didn't look as mad as she did before, but she was probably just acting calm to get answers out of her.

"It's embarrassing. I don't want to say it."

"Come on! After all the crap you put me through, I have a right to know!"

Minako shrunk at the sound of Usagi's voice rising. She bit her lip, knowing she had no choice but to tell her.

"I did what he asked because I hoped that maybe he would see me differently…the way he saw you."

Usagi tilted her head, confusion written all over her face. Minako moved closer to Usagi and put an arm around her waist. She rested her head on Usagi's collarbone and sighed.

"Remember when I lived with my father when I was a child?"

"Yeah."

"When I came back, Kenji always treated me differently than you…because you were his real daughter, not me."

"That's because you never liked him, Minako."

"I never liked him because he constantly looked at me with annoyance and disdain. He never cared much for me like he did for you."

Usagi turned to Minako with shock in her eyes. She never knew that about her sister or her father. How could she stay mad at her sister now? All she really wanted was love and approval. Sure, she went to odd lengths to get it but still!

"Did he change after Rei and I broke up?"

"No. Not one bit."

Usagi put her arm around the other blonde and kissed the top of her head. Usagi apologized – as Rei had required at the beginning – but she didn't know what she was apologizing for. Minako sat in silence and hugged her sister closer. The two had just gotten a lot closer, and their bond became a lot stronger.

* * *

Rei watched as both groups had drawn their conversations to a close. Minako looked as though she was drained of everything she had and Usagi was holding her up. Ami and Makoto avoided each other's gaze and sat in an awkward silence.

Taking a deep breath, it was time for one last rotation.

"Makoto, Minako, your with me."

* * *

_Ami and Usagi…_

"Sorry for always coming to you with my problems. They must _bore_ you by now."

A laugh.

"You know that they don't. You don't have anything to apologize for, silly."

The two hugged each other for a moment. They squeezed as tight as they could to make sure the other knew just how much they loved them. They pulled apart soon after and laughed.

"So what do we do now?"

"I guess we just wait."

* * *

_Minako, Makoto, and Rei…_

"I'm sorry for messing with your relationship with Usagi."

"And I'm sorry for not telling you about our relationship while we went to school."

Rei smiled slightly, wordlessly forgiving them.

"I'm sorry for unknowingly getting you into this situation. Pretty awkward, huh?"

"Kind of, but we need it," Minako shrugged, trying to find the humor in this get-together. "Now all we can do is wait to see what happens next." Makoto and Rei nodded in agreement. The shrine priestess looked over the two to see if Usagi and Ami were done. They were still talking, but it seemed that the serious discussion was over.

It was time to regroup.

* * *

"So, we're done here," Rei announced. "Hopefully this helped. I love you all, and I hope we can stay together. Does anyone have anything else to say?" Ami immediately raised her hand, surprising Rei with her swiftness. "Go for it."

"We can say 'I love you' all we want, but clearly we've become disillusioned because of the word 'love.' How should love be in order for us to really _love_ each other? We've been doing so many things wrong, we've hurt each other so much, and we've only been looking out for ourselves in the end. Why? Because we want love. There's nothing wrong with that – it's human nature; it's what we need. But what is love _really_ supposed to be like? Last time I checked, it wasn't meant to hurt anyone."

The other four women sat in silence, completely stunned by Ami's question. There were so many ways to answer, but none of them said a word. It was such a good question, and it could be applied to anyone or anything. Ami stared into their shocked eyes, mentally smiling. She was glad she was able to get the message across.

"Think about it," she said. "Give me an answer if you come up with something."

-End Chapter Fifteen-

_Kind of on the short side, but I thought this would be an appropriate end for the chapter. The story will be wrapping up soon! Til next time_

_Serenity101_


	17. Chapter 16

How Love Should Be

_Summary: Usagi is happily engaged to Mamoru. They're labeled as the perfect couple, so what's wrong? Everything. Minako is a single mother who strives to take care of her children. What happens when someone wants to love her? Everything. How should love really be?_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon._

Chapter Sixteen

Usagi stared up at the ceiling, her eyes glazed over from the fatigue she felt. Her brain ceased to function, and her body decided that she was not to make any sudden movements for the remainder of the night. Although she was dead tired, a vague thought lingered in the back of her mind. She tried to ignore it, but the very thought of thinking about anything was gnawing at her heart. She sighed as she rolled onto her back.

How should love really be, Ami had asked a few weeks ago. Usagi had never answered the question even though she had seen Ami a couple of times since then. She tried not to think about it very often because she knew the answer – somewhat. In answering the question, she would have to solve the problem that she had been placed in, but what would happen after that? Could she really be free of the hurt and pain she endured for years?

"Love should be…"

* * *

Minako quietly closed the twins' bedroom door behind her. She had tucked them into bed, and now it was her turn to rest. She walked through the house, making sure everything was relatively clean and in place. After turning out all the lights, she entered her room, where a sleeping Makoto awaited. A small smile appeared on Minako's face. She couldn't see the sleeping woman clearly because of the darkness, but she could visualize her face in her head. Makoto always looked so peaceful when she slept, and it gave Minako a peace of mind just by seeing it.

Quietly slipping into bed next to the brunette, Minako cuddled up close her. Her smile disappeared as she closed her eyes and began to think. Ami's words had never left her mind. She could hear them as clear as day, as if Ami had said them yesterday. After years of trial and error, Minako could confidently say that she knew the answer. She knew that she would have to try to make amends with everyone at least one more time and make sure they knew she meant it.

"Love is…"

* * *

Rei sat at the kitchen table in the dark. She was as restless as ever, and it annoyed her. So many thoughts were swirling through her head, and it was hard to organize them. For one thing, she wondered when Makoto was coming back. Makoto was her roommate for a reason – she didn't like being alone for too long. Another thing: it was obvious that eventually Makoto would move out in order to be with Minako and the twins. That would make Rei alone once again, and Usagi wasn't going to be with her any time soon.

On that note of Usagi, Rei's thoughts turned to Ami's question. "How should love be, huh?" the priestess breathed, her voice soft and airy. The answer to that was definitely obvious, but she didn't know how to verbalize it just yet. Right now, it was just a feeling that only her heart could understand, and she was fine with that. Ami clearly wasn't in any rush to collect answers from everyone, so she would take her time in figuring out just how to say what was necessary.

"Love is like…"

* * *

Ami sat on the couch, staring at the TV mindlessly. She wasn't actually paying attention, but she had thought it would be a good distraction. Unfortunately, her plan failed. Her mind was reeling with the things that had happened in the past few weeks. It pissed her off more than anyone could understand, but here she was. She was surviving, and the initial rage she had felt was gone for the most part.

That one fact had her thinking. If she wasn't as angry as she was when Makoto and Minako decided to hurt her, then why hate them forever? Besides, Makoto was only one fish out of a sea of many. She could get over the pain, she knew she could. That fact brought about a realization – she could now answer her own question.

"Love should be like…"

* * *

Makoto woke up despite not really wanting to. Her eyes were heavy, but something was interrupting her slumber. She attempted to get out of bed, but Minako was holding her in place. Groaning, she turned onto her back and hugged Minako's body close. She noted how Minako's body seemed to melt into hers. It was as if they were one being, but not really because clearly they were two separate people. It was weird to describe, but she knew what she felt.

Was that how love was supposed to be? Trying to rest her eyes, she thought about it in a way she never had before. When someone had that feeling where they just seemed to melt with that special person, did that automatically mean that there was love between the two? The thoughts were hard to put into words, but she knew what she felt.

"Love is kind of…"

* * *

_The next morning…_

Usagi stepped out of the car with a huge weight on her shoulders. She watched Mamoru get out on his side as she made her way to the front door of her parents' house. She was kind of afraid because she was going to be on her own, but she had to make things right with herself.

"So why are we here again?" Mamoru asked uncertainly as he knocked on the door. Usagi looked at him for a moment, annoyance flashing in her eyes for a second. Luckily, he didn't seem to notice, so she turned away and waited for the door to open. Deciding not to answer him, they waited in silence, making Mamoru uneasy.

When the door finally opened, the two found a surprised Minako. "Hey, Usagi," she greeted quietly. She gave Mamoru a nod before ushering them inside. "What are you doing here?" the older blonde asked softly, almost as if she didn't have a voice. As Usagi took off her shoes, she took a good look at her sister. It looked as though she had been crying – her eyes and cheeks were red, and light lines running down her cheeks told Usagi that there had been tears.

"Is this a bad time?" Usagi asked. Minako shook her head, saying that everything was fine. When Usagi and Mamoru had taken off their shoes, they went into the living room where Ikuko and Kenji usually were. Ikuko was sitting close to Kenji, who seemed to be rubbing his eyes to hide the fact that he too had been crying. When the two saw their daughter, they tried to brighten up.

"Usagi! What brings you here today?" Ikuko asked. "Would you like me to make you some tea?" Usagi shook her head as she and Mamoru sat on the couch across from her parents. Minako, who had followed after them, sat on the arm of the chair next to Usagi. Looking around at everyone's apparent gloominess, she just had to ask, "Did something happen? Should I go?"

"No, you don't have to leave," Kenji sighed, trying to regain his composure. "Minako just had something she wanted to share with your mother and I." Glancing at Minako, she silently asked what she had talked to Ikuko and Kenji about. Understanding the look she was getting, she answered, "I just told them about how I felt being in this family. I explained to Kenji – I mean, papa – how he's made me feel from the very beginning, and I told mama about how it's affected me in the long run – she knew there had been tension between papa and I. She just never knew how bad it was."

Usagi tensed up, completely surprised that Minako had actually opened up to their mother and father. Minako had grown to be so secretive, so it was brave of her to come out and tell Ikuko and Kenji what she had been feeling! "But now everything is fine," Minako reassured with a smile. "Love can now be shared among the four of us."

"You mean the five of us," Kenji said, pointing to Mamoru. "It won't be long until he joins the family, right?" Usagi's eyes turned to her father suddenly. It was time to lift that heavy weight off her shoulders.

"That's what I came to talk to you about. I don't want him in our family. Ever."

Ikuko and Kenji's eyes widened in surprise as they wondered where this had come from. Mamoru joined them and asked Usagi what she was talking about. Usagi put up a hand to silence him. "I don't love him, papa," she explained. "I never have, and I never will. He hurts me, papa. Whenever he wants something from me, he hurts me."

Mamoru's first instinct was to lie. He tried to wiggle his way out of the situation Usagi was putting him in, but after seeing the look on Kenji's face, he found that there was no escape. Usagi had dragged him into a well-planned trap.

* * *

After making sure the twins were comfortable, Makoto slid the door closed and followed Rei to her room. They sat on the bed and simply stared at each other, not really having much to say. Makoto had just shown up out of the blue with Hana and Yuriko in tow but without Minako. That seemed like a good place to start a conversation.

"Where's Minako?"

"I dropped her off at her parents' house earlier this morning. She said she needed to do something important."

Rei nodded as she stared at the floor, not knowing what else to say. Makoto continued to stare, waiting for words to come out of someone's mouth. She didn't care what was said, she just wanted to talk.

"So, when are you leaving?"

"Excuse me?"

"When are you leaving?"

"Why would I leave?"

"To stay with Minako and the girls."

Makoto hugged her knees up to her chest and shrugged. "I don't know. Probably not for a while. I wouldn't want to leave you by yourself just like that. I know how you get."

Rei laughed at that, happy with that answer. It was clear that Makoto knew her inside out, and that made her heart smile.

"I'd miss you a lot."

"I know. You can't live without me."

Rei laughed even more, feeling more at ease. Makoto smiled back as she pulled her friend into a tight embrace. Even though she loved Minako, she wouldn't abandon Rei – she loved the older woman too much.

Love wasn't meant to hurt others, right?

* * *

_Hours later…_

Kenji sat down with a sigh much to everyone's relief. He had successfully driven Mamoru away but was disappointed by the fact that he hadn't killed him on the spot. Figuring that the outcome was for the best, he tried to cage his rage as he talked to his daughters.

"Usagi, why didn't you tell us sooner?" he asked. "I wouldn't have pressed the engagement on you if I had known." Usagi looked down at her lap as she shrugged. "I wanted you to be happy, that's all," she replied. "You always talked about how you couldn't wait for me to be married to a good man and have children and all this other stuff. I didn't want to let you down."

"But you knew Mamoru wasn't a good man," Ikuko chimed in. "If we had known before, we would have never let you be with him." Minako wrapped an arm around her sister and gave her a little smile. "But now we all know, and Mamoru isn't going to bother her anymore," she said. Usagi nodded in agreement and tried to smile back. Now, she realized something she hadn't before.

Love wasn't about making everyone happy.

* * *

Ami stared at her phone intensely, wondering if she should call Makoto and just talk to her. She was too much of a coward to see her, so she contemplated calling her instead. What if she didn't answer? More importantly, what if she did? What would she say? There were a million questions running through her head, and it was driving her insane!

In an attempt to silence them, she grabbed her phone and quickly dialed Makoto's number. Now there was no turning back. She listened to the incessant ringing, half hoping she didn't pick up. It kept ringing and ringing and ringing, it was annoying. After waiting a few more seconds, she ended up getting the answering machine. Great.

"Hey, Makoto, it's me, Ami. I just wanted to say that…it's okay. I'm okay now. Love isn't upset with others, so I figured why not just call and make amends properly? I wish you and Minako the best. You two always looked better together anyway."

* * *

"Hey, Usagi. I didn't know you were here with Minako too."

"I didn't think I'd see her at all, so it was a nice surprise."

Usagi sat in the backseat of Minako's car, playing with Hana and Yuriko. Minako nodded to agree with her sister. She was glad everything worked out in the end.

"So, where am I taking you? Back to Mamoru's or…"

"Can you drop me off at the shrine?" Usagi interjected. "I'd rather stay there for a while." Makoto raised an eyebrow but didn't object. As she drove back in the direction of the Hikawa Shrine, she reached for her phone, which she had left in the cup holder. She passed it to Minako and asked her to check it.

Looking through the phone, Minako saw that the other woman had a missed call…from Ami. Not wanting to distract Makoto from driving, she took it upon herself to listen to it.

"_Hey, Makoto, it's me, Ami. I just wanted to say that…it's okay. I'm okay now. Love isn't upset with others, so I figured why not just call and make amends properly? I wish you and Minako the best. You two always looked better together anyway."_

Minako put down the phone and sighed in relief. It looked like things would turn back to normal after all.

"Did I get anything?"

"Yeah, but I'll tell you later."

The rest of the ride was relatively silent, though Usagi and the twins were having loads of fun in the backseat. Eventually, they arrived at the shrine, and Usagi said her goodbyes as she exited the car. Makoto continued to drive forward until she reached the house. She was glad to be home again after moving around all morning.

Once they were in the house, the twins rushed to the TV. Minako led Makoto to the kitchen to start the next conversation.

"Ami called you earlier."

"Really? What did she say?"

"She said everything is okay. She's not mad anymore."

Makoto blinked, not fully comprehending what Minako said. She thought about it a little more and remembered what Rei had once told her. Ami really does get over things (and pretty fast too). It made Makoto smile in relief.

"I'm glad. I still feel like we should apologize again or something."

Minako suddenly hugged her and agreed. "We can do that the next time we see her." Makoto pulled Minako closer and kissed the top of her head. It seemed like everything was going back to normal, and that made her feel better.

"Love isn't upset with others."

"What?"

Minako looked up at the tall woman. "That's what she said in the voice message," she explained. "Love isn't upset with others."

"Then what is it?"

"Love trusts and stays strong through the good and the bad," Minako answered thoughtfully. "And it never ends." She smiled up at Makoto, who smiled back. Softly pecking her forehead, Makoto noted that Minako just described how she always felt towards the blonde.

It was amazing how love worked.

* * *

Usagi walked up the steps of the jinja, elated that she was finally free of Mamoru. She just had to share this Rei. Once she reached the top, her heart jumped upon seeing Rei sweep the grounds. The raven-haired woman didn't seem to notice her yet, so she walked closer. Finally, Rei looked up and smiled.

"Hey there. What brings you here?" she asked. Usagi put her hands in her pockets and grinned a bit. "I have something to tell you actually," she said. Rei stopped her sweeping and leaned on the broom. She chuckled at the shorter woman. She looked so happy, and it made Rei light up.

"Oh yeah?" the priestess asked. "What's up?" Usagi held up her left hand, hoping Rei would notice the absence of the her engagement ring. Rei looked her a bit confused, shaking her head slowly. "What am I supposed to be looking for?" she wondered. Usagi pouted at her, knowing she was messing with her. She hit Rei on the arm, much to Rei's amusement.

"What does that mean?" Rei asked. "Is he gone for good?" Usagi nodded, smiling excitedly for the first time in a long time. "I thought about what Ami said before," she explained. "I didn't want to be tied to someone who hurt me all the time. That's not what love is."

"Then what is it – for you?"

"Love is kind, gentle, never selfish or proud…it's waking up to and falling asleep with someone special…it's spending time with someone who won't hurt you on purpose…"

Usagi took hold of Rei's hand and looked up into her eyes. "Love, for me, is you." It was almost weird saying it, since the two women had constantly been going back and forth for so long. Usagi figured it was worth it though after seeing the look on Rei's face. A fire had been lit inside her, and Usagi could see it in her eyes.

"You're serious?" Rei grinned, almost in complete disbelief. When Usagi nodded, she dropped her broom and picked the blonde up, spinning her around and kissing various spots on her face. If love didn't make her heart do flips, she didn't know what did.

With Usagi in tow, Rei ran inside the jinja, ready to celebrate the shrine's newest addition.

-End-

_And this is the final chapter of _How Love Should Be_! I worked really hard on the chapter because I didn't want to disappoint you guys :) Hopefully, it was satisfactory! Now I can work on BSSM:R! After that story is done, I'll post new stories :) And I have a prequel in mind for this story, but I don't know if I'll write it. If a lot of people want to see that come into fruition, then I'll do it. Til next story_

_Serenity101_


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